Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has made a bold claim about England’s shortcomings during his time playing for the Three Lions.
Wayne Rooney broke into the Three Lions senior team when he was only a teenager after former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson handed him his debut in 2003.
Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer netted 53 times and picked up 21 assists in 120 matches for England before he retired from international duty in 2017.
Rooney, who was previously the Three Lions’ record goalscorer, represented England at major tournaments like the World Cup and the European Championship.
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Man Utd legend Wayne Rooney put the focus on England’s Euro 2004 squad and 2006 World Cup side
England have not lifted major silverware since the Three Lions’ World Cup triumph at Wembley in 1966, despite the stacked roster of England talent that has been produced.
Wayne Rooney was part of the England team that fell short at Euro 2004 after Portugal dumped the Three Lions out on penalties in the quarter-finals.
Fast-forward to 2006 for the World Cup in Germany and Portugal would again knock the Three Lions out of the competition in a quarter-final penalty shootout win.
Manchester United legend Rooney admitted that England’s 2004 and 2006 squads were the best chances that the Three Lions had to break their longstanding trophy drought.
“I think in 2004 and 2006 was the best chance I felt in the squads I played in,” he said in a Reddit AMA.
“We didn’t win anything but we were quite unlucky on both. We went out in the quarter-finals, in the Euros and the World Cup, and to Portugal on penalties on both occasions.”
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Man Utd and England legend Wayne Rooney is convinced that the Three Lions should not have fallen short on the big stage
Rooney felt that a simple turn in England’s fortune would have been enough to take them the full distance at Euro 2004 in Portugal and the 2006 World Cup.
Responding to the Reddit user’s question, the former Man Utd captain added: “So, I think that with a little bit more luck in one of those games we go through, potentially, with obviously a better chance of winning.
“And in both, I think that was the strongest squads I played in.”
Rooney was a key name in the star-studded ‘Golden Generation’ of England players that were unable to secure the Three Lions’ first piece of major silverware since 1966.
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