Steven Gerrard has finally lifted the lid on what really went wrong with England’s so-called “Golden Generation”. Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand podcast titled “Rio Meets”, as uploaded on the ex-player’s official X account, the former Liverpool captain admitted that ego, rivalry, and lack of unity were at the heart of their downfall despite being one of the most talented squads England ever produced. This conversation was held ahead of England’s game, as Softfootball reports that England is preparing to face Wales in a high-profile international friendly game.
While England keeps preparing for the game against Wales, as we reported, 22 players of the 24 invited trained with Thomas Tuchel. Steven Gerrard described how disconnected the players were off the pitch compared to today’s England side and claimed that they are all more united now after their careers than they were when they were younger.
So why didn’t they bond back then? According to Gerrard, the problem was culture or lack of it. Players from rival clubs, especially Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea, kept to their own circles. The dressing room became divided, and egos got in the way. Even high-profile managers like Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello couldn’t fix the cracks.
Gerrard said:
I believe we had the football IQ and intelligence to adapt. And make it work together. But there was a bigger problem in England. In my opinion, I think we were all egotistical losers. Because I watch the telly now. And actually, Carragher was sitting next to Paul Scholes on this fan debate. He looked like they’d been best mates for 20 years. And you see Cara’s relationship with Gary Neville.
Looked like being mates for twenty years. 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 or rivalry? Is it why? Are we all mature enough now and at stages in our lives where we’re closer, more connected now? We couldn’t be connected as England teammates back then, and I think it was down to the culture within England that we would all never connect with.
All in our rooms too much. We weren’t friendly or connected. We weren’t a team. We never, at any stage, became a really good, strong team.
Watch the video below:
Rio Ferdinand, who shared the dressing room for over a decade, agreed with Gerrard’s take. He revealed that there was always an “underlying bitterness” among teammates, a cold distance that killed chemistry before it even had a chance. In the end, England’s golden age wasn’t ruined by lack of quality but by what Gerrard called a lack of brotherhood.
