Retiring Italian midfielder Claudio Marchisio has named Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson as the toughest English player he’s ever faced.
The two midfield maestros came up against each other in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and the 33-year-old was blown away by the Reds skipper.
“At the 2014 World Cup when we played against England, I was impressed by Jordan Henderson,” he told the Daily Mail when asked to name his toughest English opponent.
“It was clear that the tradition of the great English midfielders would continue with him. He was really good.”
OPINION
This quite a compliment for Henderson, isn’t it? Clearly Marchisio was very impressed by the Liverpool star, in a game in which Roy Hodgson’s side came up short in a 2-1 defeat. It was Marchisio who actually put the Italians ahead in that game, only for Daniel Sturridge to equalise two minutes later. Unfortunately for the English, Mario Balotelli was on hand to put the Azzuri in front for good after the break. How times change, eh? Henderson has certainly proven himself to be a quality central midfield player, although whether he has continued the tradition of ‘great’ English midfielders, as Marchisio says, is a matter of personal opinion. Obviously he’s not in the category of a Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes or Frank Lampard, but he’s certainly up there with people like James Milner, Michael Carrick and players of that ilk. However it says it all that a player as good and as well-respected as Marchisio has spoken so highly about the Liverpool star.
