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Jordan Henderson, the English professional footballer, has apologised to the LGBTQIA+ community after joining Ajax in the Netherlands on a two-and-a-half-year contract. The 33-year-old left the Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with them, calling his decision football-related only.
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Ever since Jordan Henderson joined Al-Ettifaq from Liverpool in the summer of 2023, his move faced constant criticism because of the poor human rights record of Saudi Arabia, which included laws punishing homosexuality by death. During October last year, the English midfielder had to face boos at the Wembley Stadium in London during the national team’s clash against Australia.
The decision from Jordan Henderson to join Ajax came with a clarification which read, “It was very much a football decision. I've got to make the decision for me about what's best for me and my family as well.” Notably, he has been vocal about supporting the cause of LGBTQIA+ before moving to Saudi Arabia to play football during the 2023-24 season.
After getting introduced as the new midfielder for Ajax, Jordan Henderson also told reporters at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, “If any people from that community feel let down or hurt, I apologise. I did that six months ago, I'll do it again. That was never my intention. I had to make a decision based on what I thought was best for me and my family.”
Moreover, the 33-year-old will be paid far less at Ajax than his lucrative contract at Al-Ettifaq, but he was excited about kick-starting the new chapter in his footballing career. As per the reports, the No. 6 shirt of Jordan Henderson has become one of the highest sold in the history of the Dutch club in the first 24 hours.
