Ex-England captain Gerrard, who represented his country on 114 occasions between 2000 and 2014, has stated that the Three Lions “weren’t a team” during an era in which Sven-Goran Eriksson could call upon some of the finest talent in world football.
Gerrard told one of his former international team-mates on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast: “I think we were all egotistical losers. 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 team-mates back then? 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. It was like I didn’t feel part of a team. I didn’t feel connected with my team-mates with England. I just wanted the games and the training sessions and then to be away.”
Rooney, having burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old, joined the England fold in 2003. He remained part of the set-up until 2018, taking the captain’s armband and raising a bar on the all-time goal front to 53 through 120 appearances. He never reached a major international semi-final, with the Three Lions going on to make back-to-back European Championship finals since then under the guidance of Gareth Southgate.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show another Three Lions great said in response to Gerrard: “Obviously, we didn’t win anything. I wouldn’t quite put it that way but I know what he’s saying. There was a lot of big characters in the dressing room. I wouldn’t say [England squads now have a] better attitude. That’s disrespectful to us as players because we worked hard, we tried. We didn’t quite manage to do it. Even when you look back with the players we had could we have done better? We could have but it wasn’t to be.”
He added: “What you have now is [rival teams’] players training [together] before they go back to pre-season together – Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford for instance. It’s a different generation. The big thing is the media coverage of it is much better. The players get on better with the media. From the outside that gives a better feeling.”
Rooney went on to say of supposed divides in the England camp caused by rivalries that form at club level: “It [was] difficult to have that relationship with Liverpool and Man United players. It’s easier now. I speak to Steven all the time [now]. You can have better relationships now because you can have a beer together and relax more.
“I was fine with everyone, I got on with everyone. I was aware Becks [David Beckham] and Gary Neville and Scholesy [Paul Scholes], you could see they weren’t going to be close to the Liverpool players. But one thing for sure is everyone worked hard for each other. I don’t think that was an issue. We just didn’t manage to get over the line. I didn’t see that at all.”
Rooney maintains that England always “believed we could win, for sure”, with “100 per cent” being given at all times, with factors outside of their control – such as untimely injuries and red cards – often conspiring against them.
England’s wait for a first major international trophy in the men’s game since 1966 continues, with Thomas Tuchel charged with the task of bringing a 60-year wait for tangible success to a close as the Three Lions close in on qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
