Jordan Henderson has refused to rule out a surprise return during the World Cup semi-finals after suffering a freak arm break while celebrating England’s victory against Mexico.

Henderson, who did not feature in the 3-2 last-16 win at Estadio Azteca, slipped while attempting to jump over an advertising board following the match. He landed awkwardly, requiring immediate attention from medical staff.

Concerned England team-mates surrounded the player as he received treatment. Medics administered oxygen to Henderson before he left the pitch on a stretcher.

The 36-year-old underwent successful surgery on his left forearm, which his father described as being “completely smashed.” Although experts initially ruled him out for the remainder of the tournament, he rejoined the England squad in Kansas City rather than returning home.

Henderson received a surprise inclusion in England’s squad for the quarter-final match against Norway. While he is not expected to play, the midfielder has opened the door to a potential comeback for a semi-final appearance.

“It’s alright, not my finest hour, main job was to go there and win,” Henderson said, reflecting on the freak injury.

“That’s the main thing. A tough couple of days, as soon as I came back, the lads, a great medical team, the doctors and surgeons were amazing, delighted to be part of the squad again today.

“I think it’s the same thing we showed, the resilience and character, a lot of obstacles to overcome, a lot of very good players, the best version of ourselves, I’m confident we can go through.

“It’s a challenge [to stop Erling Haaland], but they’ve got a lot of top players, they’re a top team. We’ll cross that bridge [playing in a semi-final or final] when we come to it.”

Fifa regulations permit players to wear protective equipment, such as a cast, provided it is not dangerous. Consequently, any cast must consist of a soft, lightweight padded material to gain approval.

The Brentford midfielder joined his team-mates for the warm-up in Miami, where he wore a white cast on his left arm.

England expected Henderson to act primarily as a dressing room leader rather than a key on-pitch contributor during this World Cup. His return to the camp reflects that supportive role. However, after coming off the bench against Panama to become the first England player to appear in four World Cups, a final appearance remains a possibility.