Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterAs England fans reflect on another major tournament near-miss, the question of where the 2026 World Cup side fits into Three Lions history will no doubt have been a popular pub debate in recent days.While Thomas Tuchels side have been able to call on two of the planets very best players in Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, in terms of pure star power, the current England crop lags some way behind the so-called Golden Generation of the 2000s.Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello were able to take their pick from a host of household names, who had won major domestic and international trophies with the leading Premier League sides, but this would not translate into major international tournament successes.Joe Cole on Englands Golden GenerationThe likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole were all some of the best players in the world in their position, thus creating an immednse weight of expectation.For Three Lions midfielder Joe Cole however, the players themselves did not feel any added pressure. You may like In this World Cup, everything needs to work. If the big man upstairs says its Englands time, then its Englands time Joe Cole on reflects on his 2010 Three Lions experience The sliding doors moments didnt go for us in 2006. A different pass here, a better refereeing decision there Joe Coles England 2006 World Cup regrets Rooneys injury in 2004 was one of those sliding doors moments. If England are going to win the World Cup this year, theyre going to need those moments to go for them Joe Cole and Ashley Cole on the role fate will play this summer Everything going on is irrelevant to you, Cole tells FourFourTwo. Youre a footballer, you have your blinkers on, Ashley [Cole] more than anyone.Cole cites his namesake Ashleys ability to shut out the external noise as being particularly impressive.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.All of the things that happened and how he was perceived wrongly, to go out and just play at the highest of high levels consistently is remarkable for a human being to do.Weve all got a bit of that I wasnt under the pressure Ash had during my career, in that sense, but I didnt care a jot. Id just do my thing, try to win the game, then go home.Years later though, you think, Maybe it affected the other players and the collective. What to read next This group havent had the Golden Generations club success, but theyre putting everything together better Owen Hargreaves on his Thomas Tuchels side can eclipse his teams efforts Theres going to be a moment where England are under the cosh to win the World Cup, someone is going to have to take the game by the scruff of the neck Joe Cole on what England need to do to win the World Cup Fabio Capello stopped us from going swimming with sharks. I was fuming! Joe Cole on the England squads boredom at the 2010 World Cup The debate over the Golden Generations failure has gone on for two decades now, with countless theories as to why they could never get past the last eight of a major tournament, but Cole insists there is no one obvious reason why that side failed.We cling to things, he adds. Everyone wants an answer of thats the reason we didnt do it. But nobody knows. We have opinions of why it didnt work, but only one team can win the World Cup every four years.Its the World Cup, its every footballer in the world, every country plays in it, its very, very difficult. A penalty or a referee sending somebody off, and thats it.Could It Be Coming Home? with Joe Cole and Ashley Cole is brought to you by Carling, official sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Womens FA Cup. Watch the show on YouTube and Spotify, or listen to it wherever you get your podcastsTOPICSEnglandWorld CupJoe MewisSocial Links NavigationFor more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.With contributions fromChris FlanaganSenior Staff Writer
