It will be a quiz question in years to come.Which England footballer was booked and left on a stretcher despite not playing a single minute in a dramatic World Cup triumph?Privately, Jordan Henderson will be kicking himself about the freak injury he suffered following England’s thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico in the last 16 of this summer’s World Cup.After joining his team-mates for a celebratory post-match rendition of the Oasis hit Wonderwall in front of their supporters, the Brentford midfielder landed awkwardly as he climbed back over the advertising hoardings at the Azteca Stadium and broke his left arm.The sight of Henderson in agony as he received medical attention dented the jubilant mood among England’s players and staff. He will play no further part in the tournament and at the age of 36, it’s fair to assume that he won’t ever grace the World Cup stage again.However, there was little sense of surprise on Wednesday when it was confirmed that he had returned to England’s training base in Kansas City and will stay with Thomas Tuchel’s squad as they continue their pursuit of glory. Earlier in the day he had undergone successful surgery at Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute.Typically, in his social media post after the operation there was no wallowing in self-pity, no reference to his own crushing personal disappointment. Instead there was praise for the medics who had helped him and a rallying call ahead of the quarter-final against Norway: “Let’s get ready for the big one Saturday.”The history books will show that Henderson played a grand total of six minutes in the 2026 World Cup, coming off the bench to replace Elliot Anderson in the closing stages of the 2-0 win over Panama in the group stage.Harry Kane hands the captain’s armband to Jordan Henderson during the win over Panama (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)But his contribution at the seventh major international tournament of his career goes far beyond that brief cameo and explains why Tuchel will be relieved to have him back around as the stakes keep rising. He’s one of the leaders and viewed by the England manager as crucial in terms of the group dynamic, driving standards and fostering the right culture.When Tuchel announced his 26-man squad in late May, there was criticism that Henderson had been selected rather than looking to the future with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. Henderson was dismissed in some quarters as simply a glorified cheerleader.That assessment is unfair because it ignores the fact that Tuchel primarily picked him based on his club form and because he felt his wealth of experience would be an asset on the field in terms of helping England to see out games. He also knew that Henderson would be fully understanding of his place in the pecking order rather than growing frustrated over a lack of game time.