England are the perennial underachievers of international football, and have been ever since their 1966 World Cup triumph under Sir Alf Ramsey.
That remains the only piece of silverware in the Wembley trophy cabinet, and after the Three Lions' European Championship final defeat to Spain in July, a success-starved fanbase is guaranteed at least another two years of hurt.It's hard not to look back on the last 25 years, in particular, with a real sense of what could, and probably should, have been. England were beaten finalists twice at the Euros under Gareth Southgate, and made it to the last four at the 2018 World Cup. When the late Sven Goran Eriksson was the helm between 2001 and 2006, the Three Lions reached the quarter-finals at three successive major tournaments, losing two on penalties.
In between, there was a lean period in which expectations dropped dramatically, with Steve McClaren, Fabio Capello and Roy Hodgson all proving ill-equipped for the demands of football's 'impossible job'. But in each of these three eras, England were able to call upon some of the best players in the world.
Very few of them could honestly say they performed to their maximum in all of the most important games. There were times when a lack of mental toughness was evident, or questionable tactics hindered their progress, but it wasn't all bad by any means. England's top performers of the century so far deserve recognition for making the country believe again.
10. Raheem Sterling (82 caps, 20 goals)
Sterling has a strong case to be named England's best player of the last 10 years. He was the one bright spark for the Three Lions during their dismal 2014 World Cup campaign, and went on to become Southgate's most trusted lieutenant.
The former Liverpool and Man City winger was particularly brilliant at Euro 2020, scoring three goals in seven appearances to spearhead England's title charge. Sterling has been omitted from the squad since the 2022 World Cup, due to a combination of patchy form at club level with Chelsea and Saka's continued rise, but he deserved better treatment after giving so much to his country.
England had more of an edge with Sterling up top, as he pressed relentlessly and got them up the pitch quickly, whether by playing clever one-twos or taking on multiple players by himself. Sterling always had a real eye for goal too, and should be considered for a recall if he shines on loan at Arsenal this season.
9. Frank Lampard (106 caps, 29 goals)
Lampard often comes in third in the eternal debate over who was the better midfielder between him, Gerrard and Paul Scholes. The Chelsea icon didn't possess the same God-given ability as the other two, that's undeniable, but he compensated for that by making sure every facet of his game was at the highest possible level.
Lampard secured a spot in UEFA's Team of the Tournament at Euro 2004 after scoring three goals in four games, including a dramatic extra-time equaliser that forced penalties against Portugal in the last eight. He was also voted England's Player of the Year for 2004 and 2005, and finished as the team's top scorer in 2006 World Cup qualifying as he embraced more responsibility after Scholes' international retirement.
Age never seemed to catch up with Lampard either. He scored 15 goals for England after turning 30, more than any other player in the history of the national team (and would have had 16 to his name had his famous strike against Germany in the last 16 at the 2010 World Cup not been wrongly disallowed).
Lampard remains the highest-scoring England midfielder of all-time to this day, but he was also a superb playmaker, and England were fortunate to call upon such a well-rounded player for so long.
8. Paul Scholes (66 caps, 14 goals)
"Scholes was England's best football player. He had everything," Eriksson wrote in his autobiography published in 2013. In terms of pure footballing beauty, the Swede wasn't wrong. Scholes could put the ball on a six-pence from anywhere on the pitch, and seldom misplaced a pass, short or long.
The Manchester United treble-winner also seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, meaning he was always acutely aware of everything around him. Scholes played the game at his own pace even in the most high-pressure situations, and was equally majestic with both feet.
7. Rio Ferdinand (81 caps, three goals)
Ferdinand partnered Campbell and Terry during his time in the England set-up, and proved to be the perfect foil for both men as a technically flawless centre-back with ice in his veins. The former Leeds and Manchester United ace never played at a European Championship, but was a vital presence for the Three Lions at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, recording seven clean sheets in 10 appearances.
Pressure never seemed to get to Ferdinand, who excelled at driving the ball out of defence and sprayed the ball around with the confidence of a seasoned midfielder. He exuded a natural elegance and also possessed an impressive turn of pace that allowed him to operate as a sweeper in a three-man backline when required.
Capello briefly made Ferdinand captain ahead of the 2010 World Cup, but he missed that tournament through injury and was never quite able to recover his best form. Still, in his prime Ferdinand was arguably the most complete defender in the game and, for a time, England seemed impenetrable because of his genius.
6. Michael Owen (89 caps, 40 goals)
Owen came through as England's next big hope towards the end of the '90s, before solidifying his status as the world's most deadly striker in the early 2000s. Most Three Lions fans will point to Owen's stunning hat-trick in a 5-1 World Cup qualifying demolition of Germany as his finest international moment, which helped him scoop the 2001 Ballon d'Or.
There was no stopping Owen at that stage of his career. He was lightning-quick, nimble and clever with his movement, always putting himself in the right place to deliver a telling blow to the opposition. England have never had a better finisher, either. "You know that if he is on the pitch, there is always the chance to win until the last second of the game," Eriksson said of the former Liverpool marksman.
Unfortunately, disaster struck for Owen at the 2006 World Cup. He was sent home after tearing his ACL in England's final group game against Sweden, and by his own admission, was never the same player again. Owen soldiered on admirably, though, and broke Gary Lineker's record for competitive international goals, before signing off in style with a brace in a European Championship qualifier against Russia.
5. Ashley Cole (107 caps)
Cole was probably the only member of the 'Golden Generation' who reached his full potential. There was certainly no one more consistent in the England squad between 2002 and 2012, in which time he appeared in 22 games across World Cup and Euros competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo named Cole as the toughest opponent he's ever faced in an interview with Coach Mag in 2016, noting "he does not give you a second to breathe". The former Arsenal and Chelsea full-back certainly had Ronaldo in his pocket in both of England's major tournament battles with Portugal under Eriksson, prompting a host of frustrated outbursts from the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Cole had that effect on most attackers due to his relentless energy and powers of anticipation. But he was also a great asset at the other end of the pitch, bombing forward to give England another outlet whenever every time they won the back. He may have failed to score at international level, but Cole's speed and crossing skills made him a constant threat.
4. Steven Gerrard (114 caps, 21 goals)
Eriksson's refusal to budge from his rigid 4-4-2 system proved to be England's undoing in the early to mid-2000s. It was also the main reason that Gerrard and Lampard never seemed to gel, with one of them always having to temper their natural attacking instincts to make sure that the Three Lions were never overrun in the middle of the park.
It's something of a miracle, then, that Gerrard was still able to shine as often as he did. He excelled in attack and defence, running himself into the ground for the collective cause while displaying incredible mental toughness. Most of the time, Gerrard flat-out refused to be a victim of Eriksson's pragmatic tactical blueprint.
Owen took all the plaudits when England thrashed Germany in 2001, but Gerrard scored the goal of the game, rifling a volley into the bottom corner from 25 yards to open his international account. A significant chunk of his next 20 goals for England highlighted his immaculate technique, too.
There was nothing Gerrard couldn't do on a football pitch and his passion always shone through, even when all those around him had allowed their heads to drop.
2. David Beckham (115 caps, 17 goals)
When you think of Beckham in an England jersey, the word 'iconic' instantly comes to mind. He always looked the part, whether sporting a mohawk, dreadlocks, a man bun or even going completely bald, and had the game to back up his flamboyant style. Beckham was named England captain in 2000, and you could feel how much it meant to him every time he took to the pitch.
The Three Lions only made it to the 2002 World Cup because Beckham stepped up to score an outrageous long-range free-kick to equalise in the dying seconds of their final qualifier against Greece, and England may not have got out of the group stage in South Korea/Japan had Beckham not scored from the penalty spot to see off Argentina, exorcising the demons of his red-card showing against La Albiceleste four years earlier. Beckham also fired home a sublime free-kick against Ecuador to send England through to the 2006 World Cup quarter-finals.
He almost always came up clutch when his country needed a saviour, and his right foot was like a magic wand. England had more well-rounded players, but none who could match Beckham's dedication, which was underlined by the fact he refused to officially retire from international duty in the latter stages of his career.
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1. Wayne Rooney (120 caps, 53 goals)
Putting Rooney at the top of this list wasn't a difficult decision. He is the youngest player to ever score for England, and holds the most caps of any outfield player, having spent a grand total of 15 years in the national team set-up.
At just 18 years old, Rooney stunned audiences across the globe with his performances at Euro 2004. He was fearless, aggressive, quick and supremely skilful, netting four goals in three games to carry England into the last eight, including a remarkable double against Croatia. Unfortunately, Rooney suffered a foot injury that forced him off early in the quarter-final against Portugal. Had he stayed on, the Three Lions probably would have won the game, and perhaps the tournament.
Rooney struggled to reach the same heights for England after that, and briefly became a villain for getting sent off (with the help of Ronaldo) in another painful defeat to Portugal at the 2006 World Cup. England then went into a steep decline, and Rooney was often unfairly made a scapegoat, but he never allowed the criticism to get the better of him.
England's qualification for the 2012 Euros and the 2014 World Cup was almost solely down to Rooney. He elevated a very mediocre team, and even added the captaincy weight to his back towards the end of Hodgson's ill-fated tenure. Rooney was unplayable at his peak, and unbreakable in his twilight years. Bad luck skewed the public's perception of Rooney's England career, which in reality, was nothing short of outstanding.
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