Steven Gerrard hails Wayne Rooney As england's Golden Generation star
Under the floodlights of Wembley on Tuesday, the England squad line‑up for their Nations League clash with the Czech Republic, a side that once boasted a glittering roster of the early‑2000s Golden Generation. Now, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard reflects on that era, naming Wayne Rooney as the standout talent.
Comments Sport senior Sports Reporter Fasika Zelealem recorded Gerrard’s comments at 03:30 on 06 Oct 2026. Steven Gerrard praised both Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard, but he did not pull any punches when he named Rooney the greatest player of England’s Golden Generation. View 3 Images captured the moment.
Golden Generation's glittering roster
The Three Lions will host the Czech Republic on Tuesday at Wembley, a fixture that revives memories of the early‑2000s squad. That group featured Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, Ashley Cole, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. Their collective talent shone at clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.
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Why the talent fell short
Despite the star power, the team never reached the semi‑finals of a major tournament, stumbling under Sven‑Göran Eriksson and later Fabio Capello. Gerrard, who earned England caps from 2000 to 2014, has often spoken about the midfield imbalance between himself, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard. He argued on the Open Goal podcast that the three could not operate together and would have required a different type of specialist number six, naming Michael Carrick or James Hargreaves as alternatives.
Gerrard’s own assessment of Rooney on the same podcast was unequivocal: “Rooney. Rooney is the best player I played with for England. He had everything, a monster of a footballer.” The former Liverpool captain also highlighted Rooney’s all‑round ability and goal‑scoring instinct.
England’s current crop have taken the side to two European Championship finals and two World Cup semi‑finals, each ending in defeat. The upcoming Nations League clash follows a 7‑0 victory over Croatia in the previous match.