Ego Over England: Steven Gerrard Blasts England’s ‘Golden Generation’ As ‘Egotistical Losers’

Last Updated:October 08, 2025, 21:12 is

Steven Gerrard called England’s 2000s “Golden Generation” egotistical losers, blaming club rivalries for their failures.

Steven Gerrard lambasted England’s ‘Golden Generation’ (X)

Steven Gerrard has delivered a brutally honest assessment of England’s so-called “Golden Generation,” admitting that the star-studded squad of the 2000s failed to achieve anything of note because they were, in his words, “egotistical losers.”

Gerrard’s brutally honest take

Speaking on a podcast with former teammate Rio Ferdinand, Gerrard reflected on why a team packed with world-class names — including David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, and himself — never made it past the quarterfinals of a major tournament.

“I think we were all egotistical losers,” Gerrard said bluntly. “I watch the telly now and see (Jamie) Carragher sitting next to (Paul) Scholes and they look like best mates. Why are we all so close now, when back then, as England teammates, we couldn’t connect?”

He added that the atmosphere in the England camp was far from harmonious. “It was down to the culture within England — we were never connected. We stayed in our rooms too much. We weren’t friendly, we weren’t a team. We never became a proper, strong unit.”

Rivalries and missed potential

The so-called “Golden Generation” — hailed as England’s best crop of players since 1966 — was often undermined by club rivalries. Players from Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea carried their Premier League feuds into the national setup, fracturing the chemistry needed for international success.

Despite the abundance of talent, England’s campaigns in Euro 2004, World Cup 2006, and Euro 2008 qualifying all ended in disappointment. Gerrard’s reflection captures what many fans suspected for years: the players’ egos, rather than their ability, cost them glory.

“I hated being in camp”

Gerrard, who captained England and earned 114 caps, also admitted that he struggled to enjoy his time with the national team.

“I used to love playing for England — I was proud to wear the shirt and loved the training sessions. But once training was over, it was just 90 minutes of fun in a day. The rest of the time, I was on my own… in London, Romania, wherever we were.”

Eyeing a comeback

Now 45, Gerrard has turned his attention back to management after spells with Rangers, Aston Villa, and Al-Ettifaq. He led Rangers to their first Scottish Premiership title in a decade in 2020–21 and is now reportedly close to a return to Ibrox after Russell Martin’s sacking.

“There’s a part of me that still feels there’s unfinished business,” Gerrard said. “I still want a challenge that excites me. If the right one comes, I’ll jump at it. If not, I won’t force it.”

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More

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