Overview

• The 35-year-old says he could not watch Liverpool matches after leaving Anfield, calling the departure the hardest spell of his career.
• He reflects on roughly two years of emotional struggle, likening the separation to a relationship break-up.
• After a 2023 switch to Al-Ettifaq, he left Saudi Arabia after six months, moved to Ajax, then returned to the Premier League with Brentford this summer.
• Having missed Euro 2024, he has been recalled to the England squad and is listed at 85 caps, with some reports suggesting a World Cup place looks likely.
• He says criticism has long fueled his performances and that he has learned to shut out negativity to focus on his game.