Sven-Goran Eriksson claims 'very special' current England player would get into his 'Golden Generation' side

Sven-Goran Eriksson has explained why a "very special" current England player would get into his 'Golden Generation' side.

The 76-year-old former Benfica and Lazio manager was blessed with some high-profile talent during his five-year reign with the England national team.

In fact, the group of players from that era were labelled the Golden Generation, with notable names including Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and John Terry.

Eriksson previously Paul Scholes as the most talented player he'd ever coached – a testament to the quality on show within the England camp.

"He [Scholes] had everything," the Swede told Betway in 2022.

"You can pick so many immense players from my time. [Wayne] Rooney, [David] Beckham, Rio [Ferdinand], [John] Terry, [Michael] Owen when he was at his peak.

"But Scholes was a playmaker, finisher, defending he wasn’t the best in the world but he could do it. He was a brilliant football player."

So which player from the current generation would Sven want in his squad from the early to mid '00's?

Speaking to BoyleSports, the Swede commented on the player he wished he could have had – and it was a "very easy" decision.

Image credit: Getty

Eriksson says he would have loved Harry Kane at his disposal, calling him a "very special" player.

"If there was one player I’d love to have playing for me from this current England team, it’s very easy, Harry Kane," he said.

"He is a golden goalscorer, wherever he plays and you always need that.

"He's not only a goalscorer, he's a target player, he can make assists, he's big, he's a good header, good feet, he's strong, not the quickest in the world but he's quick.

"He has everything and he could be the one who wins the World Cup for England. Every team needs a player like that."

Eriksson added: "It's only one of them, he's very special. I like him and I suppose he will be one of the most important players for England."

Image credit: Getty

Kane will likely feature for Gareth Southgate's side in the coming days. The Three Lions host Brazil on Saturday before facing another challenging test on March 26 against Belgium.

Topics: England, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Harry Kane, Premier League

Jack Kenmare

Senior Journalist at SPORTbible with a passion for long-form journalism. Almost 10 years’ experience across online and print.

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