Former England player Wayne Rooney has said he does not believe current England squads have a better attitude than his “golden generation”, adding that his team “didn’t quite manage to get over the line.”
Ex-Three Lions captain Steven Gerrard caused a stir this week when he stated their lack of silverware came down to key players being “egotistical losers.”
Gerrard, who himself made 114 England appearances between 2000 and 2014, said “we weren’t a team.”
However, speaking on his podcast The Wayne Rooney Show, the forward didn’t see eye to eye with Gerrard, who he played with as part of a talent-laden generation which included Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Michael Owen.
The Croxteth-born striker made 120 England appearances in 15 years, scoring 53 goals — a record only surpassed by Harry Kane.
Neither Gerrard nor Rooney ever made it past a major tournament semi-final with England, while the side reached the finals of Euro 2020 and 2024, and the 2022 World Cup semifinal.
“Obviously, we didn’t win anything,” Rooney said.
“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 [current England squads 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.”
The former Manchester United striker went on to explain that player relationships among those coming from rival domestic teams has improved.
“What you have now is [rival] players training together before they go back to preseason 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.”
Gerrard, who was speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, said some Manchester United and Liverpool players have better relationships as pundits than they did playing for England.
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“I didn’t feel part of a team. I didn’t feel connected with my team-mates, with England,” he said.
Rooney concurred with the Liverpool legend’s opinion, adding: “It was difficult to have that relationship with Liverpool and Man Utd players. It’s easier now.
“I speak to Steven all the time. 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, and Gary Neville and Scholesy, 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, like Gerrard, played in six major tournaments for England but only reached quarterfinals.
