Former England captain Steven Gerrard has launched a fierce attack on the national side’s so-called ‘Golden Generation,’ labelling his peers “egotistical losers” and revealing he sometimes “hated” being on international duty.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Gerrard, 45, who earned 114 caps without reaching a major tournament semi-final, blamed the failure on a poisonous culture of club rivalry that prevented the talented players from forming a cohesive team.
“We were all egotistical losers,” Gerrard stated. “It was down to the culture within England. We weren’t friendly or connected. We weren’t a team.”
The ex-Liverpool skipper admitted he “hated the [hotel] rooms” and felt “low down” and isolated, lacking the connection he felt at his club.
He noted that the squad had the talent, but the lack of unity was fatal, preventing managers from successfully integrating stars like himself, Frank Lampard, and Paul Scholes.
Gerrard credited recent boss Gareth Southgate for addressing the issue, calling him “underrated” for fostering a better team culture that led to greater success.
