England’s national team is widely considered one of the most talented in the world, a reputation reinforced today by the number of elite players in its ranks. However, over the past few decades, the team has consistently failed to achieve significant success — including the so-called “golden generation” featuring Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, and Wayne Rooney. The Liverpool icon recently reflected on those failures.
“I think we were all egotistical losers,” Gerrard said during a conversation on a podcast hosted by fellow teammate Rio Ferdinand. “I’m probably more close and friendly with you now than I ever was when I played with you for 15 years. So why didn’t we connect when we were 20, 21, 22, 23? Was it ego? Was it rivalry?”
Continuing with that line of thought, the former midfielder pointed out other examples of how former England players from that era seem to have bonded better after retirement. “I watch the telly now and I see Carragher sitting next to Scholes on this fan debate and they look like they’ve been best mates for 20 years. And I see Carragher’s relationship with Neville and they look like they’ve been mates for 20 years,” Gerrard added.
That England squad featured global superstars competing at the highest level for their clubs but who failed to click on the international stage. The intense rivalries between Premier League teams may have played a key role in preventing chemistry both on and off the pitch.
The England team before the World Cup 2006.
“Why are we all mature enough now and at stages in our life where we’re closer and more connected? Why couldn’t we connect as England teammates back then?” Gerrard asked. “I think it was down to the culture within England that we were all never connected. All in our rooms too much. We weren’t friendly or connected. We weren’t a team. We never at any stage became a real good strong team.”
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The failures of that England squad
Rarely in its history has England assembled a group of players as talented as that one. Manchester United was represented by names like David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville, and Rio Ferdinand. From Liverpool, alongside Gerrard, came Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher. And Chelsea contributed stars such as Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, John Terry, and Ashley Cole.
But all that talent didn’t translate into trophies. The first members of that group joined the national team for the 1998 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Argentina. Two years later, they crashed out in the group stage of Euro 2000 — an even bigger disappointment.
Performances didn’t improve much after that. At the 2002 World Cup, they lost in the quarterfinals to Brazil. In both Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, they were again knocked out in the quarterfinals. England hit rock bottom at Euro 2008, failing to qualify altogether. The last major tournament for most of those players was the 2010 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Germany.
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Gerrard ‘hated’ being with the England squad
In the same conversation with Rio Ferdinand, Gerrard was asked whether he enjoyed spending time with the England squad. “I hated it,” the former midfielder admitted. “I hated the rooms. In my early days, I’d have days where I was down, like low down. ‘I’m in this room for seven hours, what am I going to do?’ I used to love the games. I used to love playing for England. Really proud. I used to enjoy the training sessions but it was 90 minutes a day. And then I was just on my own in London or Romania or wherever.”
That mindset eventually showed on the pitch. “It was like I didn’t feel part of a team. I didn’t feel connected with my teammates with England. I just wanted the games and the training sessions and then to be away,” Gerrard explained. “I think if we’d have been more of a team, more together and liked each other more, it would have come out in the performances more.”
