'Not a bad day' - Jordan Henderson puts aside Ajax misery to celebrate with Jobe Bellingham as Sunderland promoted back to Premier League after dramatic Championship play-off win

Henderson, one of Sunderland’s most distinguished academy graduates, was among the jubilant crowd at Wembley Stadium as the Black Cats sealed a dramatic return to the Premier League. Now 34 and playing for Dutch giants Ajax, Henderson watched on from the stands alongside over 30,000 travelling supporters as Regis Le Bris' side pulled off a stunning comeback to edge Sheffield United 2-1.

For much of the game, it appeared as though Sheffield United would come out on top. They opened the scoring and held their lead through a subdued first half. However, a spirited second-half resurgence saw Sunderland claw their way back into the game, capped off with a 95th-minute winner from Tom Watson that secured their long-awaited promotion after eight seasons in the Championship.

Posting a picture alongside rising star Bellingham, who played a key role in Sunderland’s promotion campaign, Henderson wrote on Instagram: “MOM and taking Sunderland back to the Prem! Not a bad day.”

@jobebellingham Instagram

Having come through the Sunderland academy ranks, Henderson made his senior debut in 2008 and quickly became a central figure in the midfield. Over three seasons, he accumulated 79 appearances for the club before sealing a high-profile £20 million move to Liverpool just before turning 21.

Now plying his trade in the Eredivisie with Ajax, Henderson endured a bittersweet ending to the 2024–25 season. Despite Ajax’s strong campaign, they missed out on the Dutch league title on the final day, losing out to PSV Eindhoven by just a single point.

Henderson has been included in the England squad for two fixtures next month. Under new boss Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions will face Andorra in a World Cup qualifier on June 7, followed by a friendly against Senegal at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground on June 10.