In just a few days time, Jordan Henderson could be holding aloft Liverpool’s sixth European Cup.

The midfielder will lead his side out against Real Madrid in Kiev on Saturday night, hoping to follow in the footsteps Emlyn Hughes, Phil Thompson, Graeme Souness and Steven Gerrard.

If he does, it will be quite the turnaround for the former Sunderland midfielder.

After arriving for £20 million in the summer of 2011, Henderson has had to deal with plenty of criticism.

Nobody envied his task of trying to replace one of the greatest players to have ever played for the club.

And his constant comparisons with Gerrard have certainly done Henderson no favours.

While there are plenty of rival fans that still see Henderson as a midfielder that can only pass the ball sideways, Liverpool fans are really starting to appreciate their captain.

It’s only taken seven years…

WHEN HENDERSON SQUARED UP TO LUIS SUAREZ

But it didn’t take former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher too long to realise that Henderson could be a future captain at the club.

But it wasn’t a moment of brilliance from Henderson that convinced him.

Instead, it was a clash with star man Luis Suarez in training that made Carragher change his mind about Henderson.

"Jordan cost Liverpool £20 million when he came from Sunderland in 2011, and Kenny Dalglish, the manager at the time, wanted to find a place for him in the team, and he initially played a lot of games on the right of midfield," Jamie Carragher told ESPN.

"It took him time to find his feet. He could be a very intense character back then who would get frustrated and emotional at times, but I remember him having spat with Luis Suarez in training one day and I just thought: 'Do you know what? He has something.'

"They didn't come to blows or anything like that, but Jordan and Luis clashed over something and exchanged words, but Jordan stood up to him.

"That's not easy as a young player, especially with Luis being one of the older, established pros, but it showed Jordan's determination, and a lot of us, myself included, wanted him to do well because he was so enthusiastic and clearly hungry to succeed."

It’s that determination and passion that has seen Henderson become Liverpool captain and prove all of his doubters wrong.

If he produces a brilliant performance in the final and ends up lifting the Champions League trophy aloft in the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium on Saturday night, even his biggest doubters have got to give him credit.