Jordan Henderson is the yelling, energetic elder statesman driving England towards the World Cup final

© Provided by The i Henderson has become a vital cog in England’s midfield once more (Photo: Getty)

He stepped off the team bus and navigated the corridors of Al Bayt Stadium leading to England’s dressing room, a massage gun clutched in one hand.

Jordan Henderson’s younger team-mates are more likely to carry a mobile phone, or a pair of goalkeeper gloves, perhaps a wash bag. But when you get to Henderson’s age, the massage gun is the item you want to ensure has not been left on the bus.

He is, of course, only 32 years old. Yet in footballing terms, though he will probably not like to hear it, Henderson is an elder statesman, a mentor, a player whose remaining games in this tournament could each be his last at a World Cup.

Not that you could tell, judging by that performance against Senegal. Or perhaps you could, by the way he ran and pressed and harried and shouted, as though he may never get this opportunity again. His energy, in the centre of the pitch, a driving force when England’s players passed the ball around at a painfully slow pace with the game goalless. It was an intensity Henderson maintained until his lungs were spent, substituted in the 81st minute.

From the third minute, hurrying Senegal inside their own half, winning possession, forcing a throw-in. To the 31st, sprinting from inside his own half, pressing where one of the forwards should have been, chasing a lost cause all the way back to Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, for the good of the team.

He was almost everywhere. Right back helping Kyle Walker defend. Central midfield, alongside Jude Bellingham in the two more advanced than the sitting Rice. When England were struggling to break through Senegal’s lines, he could be seen bombing down the right wing, urging Bukayo Saka to drop back and inside, to change the angles, mix it up a little, unsettle their well-organised opponents.

We should all pray for Saka’s eardrums. Henderson didn’t let up, yelling at his team-mate – at one point berating his younger counterpart for not trying to run in behind the Senegal defence.

Then there he was at centre-forward, frequently threatening to run free of the last man when England built attacks. It was from there he scored the opening goal to ease a tense first half, 39 minutes old. Bellingham with the driving run and cut back, Henderson with the striker’s finish, side-footed, first-time, weaker left foot. As though he knocked chances like that in for England all the time.

What did Henderson do? He held his teenage team-mate in his arms and pointed to him, for all the crowd to see. The story of Henderson’s career: always directing the credit elsewhere.

It was a goal his performance deserved, only the third of an extraordinary 12-year England career in which he has been capped 73 times. How many more will there be?

There was that rare moment of flair, not usually associated with Henderson, when he let the ball run through his legs to set Rice free down the right.

It was the complete Henderson performance: defender, cajoler, creator, entertainer, scorer. From a player who, really, had he not Henderson’s determination shouldn’t be here.

Even 18 months ago, when Henderson was struggling with injuries ahead of Euro 2020, England manager Gareth Southgate talked up the Liverpool midfielder’s contribution off the pitch as much as on, explaining that he was in the squad for team balance and spirit, as much as he would play. Henderson later appeared a touch affronted that he was seemingly along for the ride as some kind of popular mascot, or lucky charm.

And though he tried, he wasn’t able to break into the starting XI during that run to the final. Southgate utilised his experience as a trusty pair of legs to come in the second half, when a game required tightening up.

It appeared for all the world as though he would be lucky to get some minutes as a substitute in Qatar. An unused substitute in that six-goal mauling of Iran, the midfield three of Bellingham, Rice and Mason Mount — ages 19, 23 and 23 — almost set in stone to continue.

But when that difficult, knotty USA side came at England, with pace and pressing and intensity, Southgate turned to Henderson with 20 minutes remaining, to steady and solidify. And the England manager was impressed by what he saw: liked the balance and feel and weight of the midfield with Henderson in it, then started him against Wales, in that comfortable win to top the group.

So Henderson was in against Senegal in England’s first do-or-die game of the tournament. Keeping Mount at bay, a supremely talented young player, yet not quite fitting into that hole alongside Rice and Bellingham as neatly.

And what a game he produced. When he went down clutching his knee just after the hour, you feared his game was over. But he winced, rose to his feet gingerly. Then kept running.

Had he but world enough, and time, you’d suspect Henderson would go on running for ever.