Henderson details what he really thinks of football in Saudi Arabia after exit

20 January 2024 , 07:39

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Henderson details what he really thinks of football in Saudi Arabia after exit

Jordan Henderson has insisted that the Saudi Pro League is competitive after tearing up his lucrative contract with Al-Ettifaq to return to Europe this week.

The former Liverpool captain, 33, signed a three-year contract with the Saudi outfit back in the summer after quitting Anfield, but he lasted just six months in the Gulf State before reaching an agreement to sign for Ajax.

Henderson and a host of other high-profile stars were lured to the Saudi Pro League, however, there have been reports that many of those players have been left unhappy with their experience in the Middle East, where poor attendances have made headlines.

Despite his brief stint in the country, Henderson quashed suggestions that the standard of the Saudi league was a factor in his decision to quit Al-Ettifaq. The England star told reporters: "It's still a competitive league, it's still a competition. I felt this was the right move next for my career and what I wanted to do.

"It was a big decision with how long I had been out in Saudi, but they fully respected the decision. I was just thankful it was handled in the right way. Everyone shook hands and we move on."

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Henderson, who was heavily criticised for his decision to move to Saudi Arabia in the summer having been a major advocate of the LGBTQ community, apologised to "anyone who was offended or felt upset" with his decision to move to a country where homosexuality is illegal and punishable by the death penalty.

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Jordan Henderson has insisted that the Saudi Pro League is competitive despite the criticism that has been levelled at it (Ajax FC)

He went on to insist that he had learned "a lot of things" during his brief spell in Saudi Arabia shortly after sealing his switch to Amsterdam.

The veteran midfielder added: "In life, if you want to call them regrets or mistakes you can call them that. At the same time they are only mistakes if you don't learn from them. I learned a lot of things in Saudi. There were a lot of different experiences.

"I haven't got a bad word to say about anybody over there in the the league, in the club, the people. They tried to make me feel as comfortable possible, and my family.

"I have friends over there that I'll speak to forever. So there's still positives to come out of it. In the end it didn't turn out the way we both wanted it to but we ended on great terms. We shake hands and move forward."

Dan Marsh