Star Soccer player Jordon Henderson Thursday announced his exit from Saudi Arabia's Pro League club Al-Ettifaq to join Ajax — a European football club — "with immediate effect", the BBC reported.
Henderson's presence was intended to serve as yet another brilliant emblem of the Saudis' relentless momentum in the sport, following in the footsteps of legendary players like Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, he couldn't even last a season.
Henderson announced the exit on X, formerly Twitter, where he wrote: "I will be leaving Al Ettifaq with immediate effect. It wasn’t an easy decision but one that I feel is best for me and my family."
The English footballer thanked the club and fans for all the support extended to him during his time with Al-Ettifaq.
"I really felt the love from Day One. I’ll keep watching & hoping for your success. Good luck for the future."
According to ESPN, Henderson's contract with the Saudi club was for three years, however, he decided to leave after only six months.
Former Liverpool captain Henderson's decision to move to Saudi Arabia came with a lot of scrutiny, as he had been a great queer supporter.
However, when he moved to Saudi Arabia — a country that doesn’t allow same-sex activities — many of his fans and followers were hurt.
Kop Outs, a group for queer Liverpool fans, said it was "appalled and concerned" by the move.
In an interview with The Athletic published last year, Henderson said that he believed his move to Saudi Arabia was "a positive thing," explaining that he understood the frustration of the queer community.
"I can understand the anger. I get it," he said. "All I can say around that is that I’m sorry that they feel like that. My intention was never, ever to hurt anyone."
As a result, of his move, where many claim that his family wasn't happy living in Saudi Arabia, the reputation of the Saudi Pro League and its ambitions to host the 2034 Football World Cup have also come under scrutiny.
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