Former England captain Steven Gerrard has opened up candidly about his international career, admitting he sometimes “hated” representing the national team and blaming ego among star players for England’s underachievement.
Gerrard, who made 114 appearances for the Three Lions and captained the side at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, was part of a squad loaded with world-class talent, including David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, and Wayne Rooney. Despite this, England never progressed past the quarter-finals during his 14-year international career.
In an interview on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Gerrard didn’t hold back, reflecting on the internal rivalries and lack of cohesion within the squad.
“I think we were all egotistical losers,” Gerrard said.
He highlighted how Premier League club rivalries created divisions that prevented players from bonding. Gerrard also referenced how some former teammates, like Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, now seem closer in retirement than they ever were during their England days.
“Why couldn’t we connect as England teammates 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.”
Despite captaining England 38 times, Gerrard admitted that international duty could be isolating:
“I hated it. I didn’t enjoy it. In my early days, I’d have days where I was down, like low down. Like I’m in this room for seven hours, what am I going to do? I didn’t feel part of a team. I didn’t feel connected with my teammates with England.”
Since retiring as a player, Gerrard’s managerial career has seen highs and lows. He famously led Rangers to an unbeaten Scottish Premiership title, ending a decade-long wait for the club. However, his stints at Aston Villa and Al Ettifaq were disappointing. He is now reportedly linked with a return to Rangers.
