Jordan Henderson Says Teammates Were “Chuffed” for Van Dijk and Alisson Awards

Liverpool are good at football. That means that Liverpool also have some players who are good at football. It’s good when Liverpool are good.

Jordan Henderson certainly agrees. The captain knows how hard his teammates work and is delighted to see individuals recognised for their efforts.

“I can’t begin to tell you how chuffed we all were for Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk for winning in the awards categories they were nominated in”, the official Liverpool website report the midfielder as saying. Big Ali scooped UEFA Champions League Keeper of the Season and Virg won Defender of the Season and, of course, the Men’s Player of the Year.

“What was typical of both players – and typical of the attitude in our team – is that they were quick to say the prizes were as much down to the help of everyone at the club as anything else, not just themselves.

“Both Ali and Virg have been as generous in private as they have been in public to make sure everyone who supports us on a day-to-day basis feels part of moments like these. It’s why, when Virgil’s name was announced on stage for the main award of the ceremony, there was a huge cheer that went up around Melwood from those who’d headed up to the canteen as soon as they’d come in [from training] to try and find out what was going on in Monaco”.

Of course, what we’re all really here for is seeing the club win titles. and this isn’t lost on Henderson, adding that “both Ali and Virg being quick to praise ‘the team’ for their individual wins that night, but what is even more important is the other part of what both said. Both of them – and I know this to be 100 per cent true – would trade any individual honours for more team prizes.

“Later this month Ali, Virg and the gaffer, Jürgen, are up for FIFA awards and I hope they win them. But I know all three would swap them in a heartbeat for three league points. It’s great that we have a culture where we can appreciate the happiness of the individual knowing all the time that the group is what matters to them and us the most.”

This is a close knit, strong group. That hasn’t always been the case during Henderson’s time at Anfield. Long may it continue.