REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Before England’s buccaneers set sail on their unlikely mission to break football free from its 52-year incarceration on foreign shores and bring it home safe and well, questions were asked of the choice of crew: Where’s Jonjo Shelvey? Why has Jack Wilshere been snubbed? What about Adam Lallana? Smalling? Tarkowski? Lascelles? The Twitter hordes quizzed angrily, often in capital letters.
But the lamenting of those omitted was nothing compared to the raging at including one player - Jordan Henderson.
Few players in recent times have faced such relentless and damning criticism from fans as the Liverpool man. A quick look at some pre-tournament comments tells you everything you need to know.