Steven Gerrard has described himself and his England teammates from the so-called golden generation as “egotistical losers” who failed to deliver on their potential due to club rivalries and a lack of team cohesion. Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former Liverpool captain admitted he “hated” being away with the England squad and felt disconnected from his teammates.
Gerrard, who earned 114 caps and played at six major tournaments, said the squad was divided into cliques from Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea. He struggled to form an effective midfield partnership with Frank Lampard, while Paul Scholes also failed to fit into the system. “I think we were all egotistical losers,” Gerrard said. “Why couldn’t we connect as England teammates back then? I think it was down to the culture within England that we were all never connected.”
The 44-year-old recalled spending long hours alone in his room, saying, “I used to love the games … but it was 90 minutes a day. And then I was just on my own in London or Romania or wherever.” He suggested that staff should have done more to encourage team bonding, adding, “If we’d have been more of a team, more together and liked each other more, it would have come out in the performances more.”
Gerrard also reflected on his managerial career, describing his time at Aston Villa as “tough” when he lost the dressing room. He said he has “unfinished business” as a manager after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January and would “jump at” the right opportunity, amid speculation he could return to Rangers.
