KANSAS City, June 14 (Reuters) - England midfielder ⁠Jordan Henderson has leapt to the defence of Jude Bellingham, saying the polarising 22-year-old is central to the team ⁠despite outside scrutiny and that his influence is often misunderstood.

Bellingham has become a focal point for England both ‌on and off the pitch, with his performances and demeanour often dissected by media and fans after a meteoric rise that has taken him from teenage prospect to one of the squad's leading figures.

The Real Madrid midfielder is a player fans and media seem to either love or hate, and his intense on-field ​emotions have sparked widespread debate over whether his behaviour stems from passion or ⁠ego.

There have been questions around whether he should ⁠start for England, who kick off the World Cup against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday.

"I honestly couldn't speak highly enough of ⁠him," ‌Henderson told reporters after England's training session. "I know a lot gets written in the media, and I find it hard to read sometimes, because I just know how big an influence he is on this team, how good a teammate ⁠he is off the field and what he gives us is just something ​really special.

"I think he really gives us ‌the X-factor. He's had big moments in his career. He's a big-game player. He's got experience in tournaments, so ⁠he's a huge, huge ​player for us in this tournament."