After Jordan Henderson's injury during last night's England celebrations, the Mirror takes a look at the intriguing life of the former Liverpool captain, from death threats to his childhood heartache12:07, 06 Jul 2026Updated 12:10, 06 Jul 2026Jordan Henderson taken to hospital as Thomas Tuchel confirms 'really bad' injuryEngland's dramatic World Cup celebrations took a worrying turn last night when midfielder Jordan Henderson had to be stretchered off the pitch and given oxygen following a freak accident.‌The 36-year-old former Liverpool captain landed awkwardly, sustaining a wrist injury while trying to climb over the advertising hoardings as the Three Lions celebrated their thrilling 3-2 victory over Mexico.‌Jordan was rushed to a hospital in Mexico City, and it is currently unclear as to whether his tournament has been prematurely cut short.‌As fans and teammates await updates on his condition, the Mirror takes a look at Jordan's life away from the spotlight, from childhood challenges to his deeply close family.Parents' divorceBorn and raised in Sunderland, Jordan's passion for the beautiful game became obvious from an early age, prompting him to join Sunderland’s academy when he was just eight years old.‌In his 2022 book, Jordan Henderson: The Autobiography, the only child reflected on how his life shifted when his parents got divorced - a pivotal moment he believes spurred him on to succeed as a professional footballer."I don't know where my determination to be a footballer came from," he wrote. "I do know that I buried myself in football. Maybe a psychologist would say it was something to do with my mam and dad's divorce."Their separation was not a good one, it was quite acrimonious. I saw stuff I wish I hadn't seen in terms of arguments they had. Even though I was only six, there are moments I can vividly remember.‌"When you're a young lad, and especially if you're an only child, which I was at that point, and your mam and dad break up, it's like the end of the world."While it was a "horrible time", Jordan found "comfort and support" staying with his grandmother, Sheila.Following the split, his dad, Brian - a police officer - moved five miles away to Washington, while Jordan remained primarily with his mother Liz, a fitness instructor, in Summerhill, visiting his father every other weekend.‌Liz found love again with Peter Conway, who Jordan credits as a support system. "He used to take me to watch Newcastle matches, but I only went with him to watch the opposition!," he recalled. "Peter and my mam had a baby, my sister, Jodi, and he would take me to training whenever my dad couldn’t do it. Things worked out!”Loss of confidenceThough Jordan made history this year by becoming first England men’s player to play at four consecutive World Cups, his path was almost derailed by physical development problems after he signed his first professional contract in 2008.‌Gerard McNamee, the Sunderland academy's Head of Recruitment, recalled the struggles. "He was there from a really young age, but when he reached Under-15s and Under-16s, they were tough years for him," he told The Northern Echo.“He went through growth problems and lost a bit of confidence on the back of it, so it was a bit of a struggle for him for a little while, and there were questions asked about whether he would make the next step into full-time football.“Fortunately, we all sat round a table with sports scientists and discussed him, and they told us that he would develop, grow and get stronger with time – and the rest is history. He came in as a scholar and just took off.”‌Former Sunderland player Kevin Ball added that while Jordan was relatively slight for his age, his work ethic set him apart."He was infectious on those around him," he said. " Even in a race he knew he would lose, he would do everything to win it. He has undoubted football ability, but has this desire too, and an undoubted love of the game."Love story with teenage sweetheart‌Jordan met his wife, Rebecca Burnett, when they were teenagers, and the couple married 2014. Rebecca has long been a supportive presence in the stands, while choosing to maintain a private life outside of the public eye.The couple welcomed their eldest daughter, Elexa, in 2014, a milestone Jordan described as a turning point in his personal life."It was the best day of my life when she was born, and I have enjoyed every minute of being a dad," he shared via the official Liverpool FC website.‌"My girlfriend has been brilliant in terms of doing the feeds during the night. It's meant I have still been able to get my sleep and been fresh for training. It's another step for me in terms of growing up."Their second daughter, Alba, arrived in 2015. Jordan rushed to Rebecca's side for the birth, before travelling straight back to London, securing a 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory against Blackburn.‌Then-manager Brendan Rodgers praised his dedication: "Jordan gave a real captain's performance. He had to go back from the hotel because his wife had their second child, so he hadn’t slept much during the night.""Some players would have missed the match. But he said to me, 'Boss, as soon as the baby is out, I will be coming back!' Jordan came back, he had his lunch and a sleep.”In February 2020, the couple welcomed their son, whose name they have chosen to keep private.‌Dad's cancer journeyOne of the most enduring images of Jordan's career came after the 2019 Champion League final in Madrid, where he was filmed celebrating joyfully with dad Brian, following Liverpool's 2-0 win over Tottenham.In 2013, Brian was diagnosed with mouth and throat cancer, after doctors discovered a large tumour at the back of his tongue. He made a full recovery, but endured a difficult 10-month period where he hid away from his family.‌"I didn't take to the radiotherapy very well," Brian previously told the Mirror. "My hair was burnt off at the back, I had major burns on my face. I went every day, and it wasn't pleasant. You have a mask made for your face, and you're bolted down to a table."The recovery time for that was a lot worse than the surgery. I didn't see anyone. I refused to see anyone because of the way I looked for 10 months to a year. I saw one of my brothers, a close friend, and a neighbour. So I saw three people in that year. I didn't want anyone to see me the way I was."‌This horrific ordeal made Jordan and Brian's on-camera embrace all the more poignant. In a 2021 LFCTV documentary marking Jordan’s decade-long stint at Anfield, "elated" dad Brian recalled: "I had no idea until I turned and then I just heard this click, click, click of all the cameras going. I didn’t expect it to have that moment with him, and be on so many cameras and TVs."I was just so proud of him. I was telling him that, among other things, that are quite private. At that stage, he was 29, and I had never had an embrace with him like that; I obviously had when he was a kid, but as you get older, you tend not to be so tactile, don’t you?"Death threats‌In June 2021, Jordan spoke candidly on BBC Radio 5 Live about the downsides of fame, revealing that his family had received death threats following poor team performance.Jordan, who had partnered with anti-bullying organisation CyberSmile to raise awareness of online racist and sexist bullying, told how hard it is to shield loved ones from hostility on social media."You can deal with stuff that's being said about you, but when it's about somebody close to you. If you've had a bad game, what's it got to do with family members?" he said.Article continues below"When family does get involved, and there's death threats flying about, I'd say that's probably the most difficult."Join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage