Jordan Henderson says he has to take boos from England fans ‘on the chin’ after receiving a negative reception during the nation’s 1-0 win over Australia on Friday.
Henderson was booed by the home crowd during the win over the Socceroos at Wembley, regarded as a response to his decision to leave the Premier League for Saudi Arabia during the summer.
The 33-year-old has been criticised for his decision to sign for Al-Ettifaq, having previously been a vocal ally for the LGBTQ+ community. Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, while the country’s human rights record continues to be questioned.
“Not really. I don’t know… if people want to boo if I’m playing in a different country, that’s fine,” Henderson said, as per Sky Sports, when asked if he understood to boos.
“Everyone is going to have an opinion over [it] when I’m playing over in Saudi.
“I’ve spoken in the past about the reasons for that. Whether people believe us or not is up to them.
“Of course it’s disappointing, but it won’t change what I do here. I want to keep playing and keep fighting and help the team become successful.
“I haven’t been surprised by that because I can understand the reasons in what they’re saying. I look at it from a different point of view, obviously.
“But I can understand it and I’ve got to take that on the chin.”
