Kieran Trippier praised Jordan Henderson’s influence on and off the pitch after England’s vice-captain was booed by sections of the Wembley crowd.
Friday’s friendly against Australia saw the 33-year-old line-up on home soil for the first time since his controversial summer switch from Liverpool to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq.
Henderson has been a high-profile supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and last month apologised for any hurt he caused by moving to a country where homosexuality is illegal.
The stand-in skipper’s name was met by murmurs before kick-off and the midfielder ended up being booed when substituted, with boss Gareth Southgate left angry by a reaction he felt “defies logic”.
Long-standing international team-mate Trippier, who replaced Henderson, said: “I’m going to be honest I didn’t even notice it. I was obviously focused on coming on.
“But, listen, Hendo has how many caps? 80 odd caps I think it is that he’s represented England. For me, I see him on daily basis, he is an unbelievable character, he’s a leader. What he does for the team, playing or not playing.
“To be honest with you, I didn’t even recognise the reception because obviously I’m focused on my job to help the team cross the line and win.
“But for me all I can say on Hendo is he’s a great leader, an unbelievable person to have in the dressing room and I think 80 caps plus speaks for himself.
“On and off the pitch he’s a winner, the way he demands in training, the way he demands in games, in the dressing room before the games. He makes sure everyone trains properly, he sets standards and even myself at 33, when I look at him I follow it.
“That’s what you need. Hendo has got everything, he’s a great captain. So, to be honest, don’t think I need to say much about Hendo’s leadership.”
Pockets of England fans jeering their own is nothing new, with oft-criticised Harry Maguire booed by some supporters in their last Wembley friendly against Ivory Coast 18 months ago.
“For us, as players, we stick together,” Trippier said. “That’s the most important thing.
“We know how important Harry is, Hendo, or whoever it may be. The most important thing is us as a team, the staff, Gareth, everybody involved, we stick together. Internally, no problems. Everyone is calm and relaxed.
“It’s shown how much character players like Harry has got, another leader, doesn’t let anything faze him and he gets on with it. Whenever he plays, he plays with a smile on his face and he’s an unbelievable person. That’s the most important thing.”
England’s close-knit squad have bonded thanks to shared experiences, both good and bad, and can secure their place in a fourth major tournament under Southgate in Tuesday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy.
The group’s experienced core is complemented by up-and-coming stars, with none shining brighter than Jude Bellingham right now.
The 20-year-old has scored 10 goals in 10 appearances for Real Madrid having slotted seamlessly into life in the Spanish capital, where Trippier won the LaLiga title at rivals Atletico.
“At such a young age, with the maturity, the quality and the aggression he’s got, he’s frightening,” the Newcastle right-back said.
“If you play well there in Madrid, the fans will love you. It’s no surprise to me how he’s started there because Jude is frightening.
“Jude did unbelievable at Dortmund. He’s taken that experience with him. You see he’s playing with a freedom and the players around him are going to make his standards get even better. The most scary thing is he’s only 20 year old.”
Asked if he can be the difference between falling short and going all the way, Trippier said: “He can be the difference but if you look throughout the whole team, from 2018 to now we’ve taken massive steps.
“We lost in the Euros final, but the most important thing is we’re progressing, we’re doing very well. We’ve got players who can change games, we’ve got goals from all over the pitch.
“Jude, Madders (James Maddison), obviously Bukayo (Saka), Phil (Foden), they can change games in certain moments. They’re still young. Representing England is a big thing but these guys are playing at the top level.”
USWNT goalkeeper Naeher to retire from international football
United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is to retire from international football next month.
Naeher has won 113 caps for the USWNT and was a regular between the sticks during their most recent World Cup-winning campaign in 2019, also starting for Emma Hayes' Olympic Gold medallists in Paris earlier this year.
The 36-year-old, who has represented the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL since 2016, will link up with Hayes' side for their upcoming friendlies against England and the Netherlands, but that will be the final camp she attends.
Naeher said in a statement posted to her Instagram account: "With immense gratitude and very thoughtful consideration, I have decided to retire from the international game.
"Having the opportunity to be a part of the USWNT for the past 15 years has been the greatest honour.
"This has been a special team to be a part of and I am beyond proud of what we have achieved both on and off the field. The memories I have made over the years will last me a lifetime.
"I know one chapter is ending, but I am so excited to continue to see the growth of this team going forward and what more they can accomplish."
Hope Solo (202) and Briana Scurry (175) are the only goalkeepers to make more appearances for the team than Naeher, who made her debut versus Argentina in December 2014.
Mbappe position switch works wonders for Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti was satisfied his tactical decision to switch Kylian Mbappe's position in attack paid off in Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Leganes.
Mbappe scored his seventh goal of the season to help Madrid to a comfortable victory in LaLiga on Sunday.
However, his position in Madrid's front line has been a topic of debate since he joined the Spanish champions, with Mbappe having often played out wide while at Paris Saint-Germain.
And Ancelotti elected to switch Mbappe out to the left flank against Leganes, with Vinicius Junior spearheading Los Blancos' attack.
"Mbappe played on the left side, where he did well, and Vinicius on the inside," Ancelotti told reporters.
"We have to highlight their play to open the scoring. They did very, very well. Mbappe scored, after a fantastic assist from Vinicius. Little by little, they're both improving.
"Kylian is more used to playing there and today, for the team and for him, it was the best thing.
"Because playing on the outside brings more effort and Vinicius was back on Thursday. Meanwhile, Kylian had been training here for a week and a half, he was fresher."
Mbappe was not called up by France coach Didier Deschamps for this month's Nations League games, despite being Les Bleus' captain.
With an injury crisis at the back and a trip to Anfield to face Premier League and Champions League leaders Liverpool coming up, Ancelotti added he was hopeful of Lucas Vazquez, who has a hamstring strain, and Aurelien Tchouameni, who is recovering from a sprained left ankle, returning to action.
He was also upbeat about the contribution of Federico Valverde, who scored from a free-kick while filling in at right-back.
"The truth is that Fede, at the back, has done very well," said Ancelotti of the Uruguayan, who also wore the captain's armband.
"He's a fantastic fullback. After Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez, the best right-back in the world. His problem is that he can play at this level in many positions and is the coach's problem to choose the best position for the team.
"Let's see if Lucas and Tchouameni can recover. If not, we will make decisions."
Jude Bellingham netted Madrid's other goal as Ancelotti's team closed to within four points of LaLiga leaders Barcelona, who drew 2-2 with Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Madrid also have a game in hand on Hansi Flick's side.
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