Wayne Rooney: Ex-England captain says former players struggle with Three Lions' success

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Wayne Rooney stretches for the ball against the United States on Thursday
Wayne Rooney won his 120th and final England cap against the United States on Thursday

Some former England internationals "can't come to terms" with the current team doing well, says Wayne Rooney.

The Three Lions reached the World Cup semi-finals this summer before beating Spain in the Nations League in October.

But Rooney, who earned his 120th and final cap in Thursday's 3-0 win over the United States, suggested some ex-players are jealous.

"That is wrong. I'm not like that," said the 33-year-old ex-captain. "I'm a fan now. I want England to do well."

Speaking to several national newspapers, he added: "I'm happy with what I've contributed to the national team and I look forward now to the next few years and watching this team progress."

DC United striker Rooney - England's record goalscorer - retired from international football in 2017 but returned to Gareth Southgate's set-up for a final farewell at Wembley on Thursday.

During his time as an England international, the team never progressed beyond the quarter-finals of a major tournament - last reaching the last eight at Euro 2012.

"I know some ex-players I've spoken to can't come to terms with England doing well," said Rooney, who played for Manchester United and Everton in the Premier League.

"I wouldn't say I regret never winning a trophy with England.

"I have given everything when playing for England and I've tried to make us successful. Sometimes everything just isn't enough.

"I've had my time and it didn't quite work out in terms of trophies."

England play Croatia in the Nations League at Wembley on Sunday (14:00 GMT kick-off) and a victory will mean they qualify for next summer's finals in Portugal.

And, having been immersed with the squad over the previous week, Rooney says the potential for success is "huge".

"They called the team I played in the 'golden generation' but this team has also got superstars like Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and John Stones," he said.

"This is a great young squad with other players who can come in if there are injuries.

"To win any trophy would be great for England - and hopefully this team can be the ones to bring that home."

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619 comments

  • Comment posted by martila, at 08:04 18 Nov 2018

    As if further proof were needed that some of the ‘golden generation’ were playing for themselves rather than the shirt.

  • Comment posted by richh87, at 08:02 18 Nov 2018

    The golden generation had poor managers. Scholes retired because he was shoved out on the left wing, there was the awful insistence on playing Lampard & Gerrard together. The squad didn’t get along either - partly because of the management styles (Capello in particular).

    It shows what a great job Southgate is doing. Exciting times now with our youth teams starting to mature - COME ON ENGLAND!

  • Comment posted by Matt J, at 08:22 18 Nov 2018

    The best thing about this current team is that they DO actually play as a team. Most refreshing. The players of the previous years rarely did. The most exciting team we had was the Euro 96 team. Now, THEY really played as a team.....(4-1 v Holland)....

  • Comment posted by saddletramp, at 08:00 18 Nov 2018

    What success ?

  • Comment posted by Yoyo, at 09:32 18 Nov 2018

    In all fairness to Rooney, he had some right dross to play with masquerading as England players.

  • Comment posted by Island Strife, at 08:10 18 Nov 2018

    I agree with @1 - exactly what "success" are they jealous of ?

    The "golden generation" failed to deliver on so many levels - it's funny how this happened at precisely the same time that the mega millions poured in to the game. Those pampered so called "world class" players who never actually achieved anything - perhaps they are jealous of not earning as much our new bunch of "world beaters".

  • Comment posted by Owen, at 08:23 18 Nov 2018

    We always talk a good fight. 52 yrs since major trophy yet we go on as if it was yesterday. Embarrassing!! Our team is above average at best. No world beaters, no high level of technical ability. Let’s keep things in perspective folks.

  • Comment posted by JLB, at 08:05 18 Nov 2018

    Joe Cole was never ever used properly.

  • Comment posted by U16732454, at 08:20 18 Nov 2018

    England success?

    They haven’t won anything!

  • Comment posted by dacian_prime, at 09:33 18 Nov 2018

    complaints about the ‘golden generation’ should be addressed to one sven goran erikson.. a guy that stuck paul scholes on the left wing

  • Comment posted by Eels, at 08:15 18 Nov 2018

    No. Not success. That would suggest winning a trophy.
    More a case of performing to an acceptable standard in a tournament rather than the crippling, sole-destroying underachievments of the 'Golden generation'.
    Comparative success perhaps, all things considered.

  • Comment posted by GazR, at 08:51 18 Nov 2018

    Success? We messed up the easiest chance of ever getting to a World cup final! We beat one average team and lost against anyone decent, the only difference was the media were behind us for once.

  • Comment posted by Taxi Driver, at 09:54 18 Nov 2018

    The reason the golden generation won nothing is because they didn't build a team around the greatest English midfielder in history Paul Scholes.

    Instead we had 15 years of Gerrard and Lampard debate. Both great players but neither fit to lace Paul Scholes boots in the final analysis. Scholes was robbed of his England career playing 2nd fiddle to those 2 egos. No wonder he is an angry pundit!!

  • Comment posted by Cruijff Turn, at 11:42 18 Nov 2018

    Rooney's testimonial raised £1.2m, and all proceeds were donated to the charities supported by the W R Foundation, such as The NSPCC, Claire House Children’s Hospice and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. The Foundation took the opportunity to promote its cause and raise money through fan collections and silent auctions at the USA international at Wembley.

    What have you guys been up to recently?

  • Comment posted by U16681038, at 09:49 18 Nov 2018

    One of the problems with modern day football is the hype and language used to describe the players. Rooney's generation may have been described as the "Golden Generation" but they achieved nothing. In the same way Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and John Stones are not "superstars". These players are big fish in a small pond and are insignificant on the world stage where they will achieve nothing.

  • Comment posted by stuart truman, at 09:49 18 Nov 2018

    we were lucky at the world cup easy group easy draw and when we played anyone of any quality we lost even belgium b team and now raving about beating a evolving spain team Kane as won nothing and is mentally weak yet is world class...i dont think so

  • Comment posted by DancesWithWolves, at 09:36 18 Nov 2018

    Players like Rooney and Beckham, and many others, always gave their very best for England. They can't be blamed for England's relative lack of success since 1966. The reasons we have fallen behind are more fundamental, like coaching and lack of sufficient belief in younger players. There is also the sheer number of good foreign players in the Premier league to the detriment of home grown talent.

  • Comment posted by nutmegsfromnevin, at 11:37 18 Nov 2018

    Is this the same Wayne Rooney who regularly spends £20,000 in one go on scratch cards and then pays to be pleasured by a granny? I'd rather the BBC put the opinion of a park bench drunk on their front page.

  • Comment posted by U17060955, at 09:48 18 Nov 2018

    133. Gwent lad

    Top goal scorer and none when it mattered. Not fit to lace boots of a Lineker or Shearer who came to party for England when it mattered.

    ----

    Both who won nothing ... 'when it mattered'

  • Comment posted by You, at 16:05 18 Nov 2018

    520. Forest forever

    You were here less than an hour ago saying England will lose this game and laughing about it. Obviously you were wrong, yet you're still here spouting off regardless of being proven to know nothing about football within the last 60 minutes alone. Not sure why you think anything you say carries any weight at all now... seems like delusional commentary

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