Hypocrite Henderson! LGBT+groundbreaker Hitzlsperger slams Saudi transfer
Jacque Talbot
- Updated: 27 Jul 2023 14:11 BST
- 5 min read
Thomas Hitzlsperger has criticised Jordan Henderson after the former Liverpool captain moved to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq.
The former Everton player, who came out as gay in 2014, took to Twitter to speak out after the former Sunderland player made his move.
Hitzlsperger wrote: “So Jordan Henderson finally gets his move to 🇸🇦. Fair play to him, he can play wherever he wants to play. Curious to know though how the new brand JH will look like. The old one is dead! I did believe for a while that his support for the [lgbt]community would be genuine. Silly me…”
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Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia and punishable by death. The state has been accused of human rights atrocities, with restrictions on women among other things.
Henderson has confirmed he is leaving Liverpool after 12 years, before an expected move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq.
The 33-year-old midfielder joined his new club in a deal worth £12m plus add-ons. Posting on his Instagram account, Henderson said: "Just know, I will always be a Red, until the day I die."
Henderson captained Liverpool to their first Premier League title and also lifted the Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup.
Indeed, Henderson has been criticised by some for the move to Saudi Arabia, including Liverpool's LGBT+ fans group Kop Out, who asked him to rethink going to the country and representing Al-Ettifaq.
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Speaking in the video filmed at Anfield ahead of his move, Henderson said: "I can't lie, there have been hard times, really hard times. But when I look back at my career at Liverpool, it will always be the good times that I remember."
