Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterAfter lining up alongside each other 126 times for club and country, Joe Cole and Ashley Cole shared plenty of career highlights, whether that was winning trophies with Chelsea or as part of Englands so-called Golden Generation in the mid-2000s.But the pairs connection goes further back than this, with Ashley distinctly remembering the first time he saw Joe in action, long before either was anywhere near their Premier League breakthroughs.And what the young Ashley saw left him in awe.Ashley Cole on sharing his football journey with Joe ColeAsked by FourFourTwo why the pair get on so well, Ashley is quick to make a joke.Do we get on? he asked before both former players broke out into laughter. Ive known Joey since the age of 10. You may like Joe Cole discusses why England's Golden Generation failed to reach its potential The 2002 World Cup was the first time I was around big names. It made me understand I was capable of playing with top players and at major tournaments Ashley Cole on Englands 2002 rollercoaster tournament Cristiano Ronaldo made me do the splits. I thought, This cant happen again. I didnt want someone to take my career away from me Ashley Cole on his major tournament battles with the Portuguese icon My brother played for a local team that played down that way and I got the opportunity to watch Joe literally rip players at that age!Indeed, Joes talent was clear from an early age, with the young playermakers reputation spreading across the youth football circuit in London long before he was snapped up by West Ham United and became one of the countrys best young players.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.So I knew his name then, Ashley continues. Then you came and played in a game for Arsenal, right? And again, I was in awe of him.Ashley is less than a year older than Joe and the pair would often cross paths as they progressed through the youth ranks of Arsenal and the Hammers respectively.This led to a friendship that remains to this day, as the pair both reached the top of the game, culminating in their lining up alongside each other for England at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, plus the 2004 European Championship. What to read next 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 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 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 We played against each other in youth teams, Ashley continues. Ive gone through a lot of my life with Joe being around.We had the opportunity to play in the same team, to represent our country together we had to have a good relationship to play well on the left-hand side, me at left-back, Joey on the left wing.We just got on, were easy-going guys.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
