'I hated it' – Nine England stars who dreaded Three Lions call-ups
Several players may realise a lifelong ambition during the March international break, with Everton’s James Garner one of those hoping to receive his first England cap – but not everyone has seen a Three Lions call-up as an exciting prospect in the past.
Growing up, most young English footballers dream of donning the Three Lions shirt and stepping out on the hallowed Wembley turf.
Many even describe receiving their first cap as the proudest moment of their football careers, but not everyone has enjoyed representing their country, with one former player even admitting that he “hated” being called up to international duty.
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, SPORTbible has taken a look back at the England internationals who did not enjoy periods of their Three Lions careers.
Steven Gerrard
Despite representing England 114 times, the former Liverpool captain recently admitted that he didn’t always enjoy going away on international duty.
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In an honest interview with Rio Ferdinand last year, Gerrard described the so-called ‘Golden Generation’ as “egotistical losers” who ultimately failed to achieve success in an England shirt.
Gerrard admitted: “I hated it. I didn’t enjoy it. Hated the [hotel] rooms.
“In my early days, I’d have days where I was down, like really low. Like, I’m in this room for seven hours, what am I going to do?
“There was no social media, we didn’t have a DVD player or anything. Channels one to five, or whatever it was on TV. I used to get low and down.
“I used to love the games. I used to love playing for England. I was really proud. I used to enjoy the training sessions, but it was 90 minutes a day, and then I was just on my own.
“I didn’t feel part of a team. I didn’t feel connected with my team-mates with England.
“I didn’t feel that with Liverpool. They were the best days of my life. I felt like the staff looked after me, I felt special. I felt like I couldn’t wait to get there. With England, I just wanted the games and the training sessions, and then to be away.”
Paul Scholes
Former United midfielder Scholes is widely considered to be one of the greatest midfielders to have graced the Premier League, winning 11 titles, but his international career did not provide the success he would have liked.
The Red Devils legend represented England 66 times between 1997 and 2004, featuring at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, while also appearing at Euro 2000 and 2004.
After representing his country 66 times, the then 29-year-old Scholes announced his retirement from England duty in August 2004 and never played for the Three Lions again.
Following his retirement, he has spoken about being played out of position on the left to accommodate others, such as Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
“I didn’t actually mind playing there, especially for United,” Scholes told FourFourTwo. “I scored a lot of goals from that position for United, but with England it was different; we just played a different type of football.
“I just wasn’t enjoying playing for England.”
Gary Neville
Another member of the ‘Golden Generation’, Neville enjoyed huge success at club level with United but failed to replicate that with the Three Lions.
The former right-back, who later went on to work as an England coach after earning 85 caps, has spoken of his passion for his country, but once admitted that international duty “was a massive waste of time”.
“[I am] sorry for sounding sour, but my best mate, David Beckham, got butchered after the World Cup in 1998, then my brother, Phil, after Euro 2000,” Neville wrote in his 2011 book.
“The whole lot of us got it in the neck at other times. Sometimes we deserved it, but playing for England was one long rollercoaster: some ups and downs, but also quite a few moments when you're not really sure if you're enjoying the ride.”
He has since clarified his comments during an episode of Stick to Football. “I probably let myself down in my book where I called it [playing for England] a waste of time,” Neville said.
Michael Carrick
Ex-United midfielder and current head coach Carrick was arguably underused by England, earning just 34 caps between 2001 and 2015, despite enjoying success at club level.
Speaking to BBC Two’s Premier League Show back in 2018, the 44-year-old said he found it “hard going away with England”.
“I didn't mind going away with United pre-season for three weeks or whatever and coming back, but going with England, it was almost depressing in a way,” he said.
“It made me really down, so I came to the point after South Africa where I thought, ‘I can't do that again’.
“I was probably on the verge of… yes, I was depressed at times, yes. I told the FA, ‘Look, please don't pick me’.”
Ben White
White, who has four Three Lions caps, was frozen out of the England set-up after leaving the camp at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons, before later making himself unavailable for selection for the remainder of Gareth Southgate’s time as head coach.
There were reports that the issue was in some way related to a supposed feud between White and then England coach Steve Holland.
The Telegraph reported there was “an angry exchange” between the pair in a team meeting during the 2022 tournament, which led to the Arsenal defender’s withdrawal from the squad.
However, White has since been called up by Tuchel for March’s international break.
Wayne Rooney
Given that Rooney sits second on England’s all-time goalscorers list, it would be rather harsh to say that he hated playing for the national team, but things didn’t always run smoothly.
Infamously, during the 2010 World Cup, the Liverpudlian aimed criticism at England fans following a 0–0 group-stage draw.
As he walked off the pitch, Rooney said: “Nice to see your own fans booing you, you football ‘supporters’.”
Of course, the forward continued to play for England, going on to win 120 caps before retiring from international duty in 2018.
Before his final cap, Rooney explained: “I know certainly from my experience that there were maybe times when you didn’t enjoy it as much as you should have, so I’m going to enjoy this.”
When further pressed on why he felt this way, the ex-striker added: “I think it was partly to do with there being pressure on myself which, obviously, when you’re in that mode you don’t want to admit there is pressure to perform. I’ve stepped back from that now and can analyse that there was that pressure.
Also, that pressure on the team, and having that, makes you try too hard and makes you a bit too anxious, so you don’t enjoy it as much as you should. You play your best football and produce your best performances when you’re enjoying playing and winning.”
Ben Foster
Speaking on the Fozcast in 2024, the ex-Watford shot-stopper opened up about rejecting a call-up under Capello.
He said: “I rejected an England call-up once when Fabio Capello was manager. My kids were just being born and I knew that I wasn’t going to be playing when I was away with England.
“I knew I was going there basically just to make up the numbers.
“I didn’t really get too much respect from Fabio Capello. My son was born, I rushed off to the birth and I was on the phone to him later on that night.
“He said, ‘We need you back, there’s an England game tomorrow and you need to be on the bench,’ and I was like: ‘Do I really need to be on the bench? I’ve just had my son — it would be really nice to spend some time with him.’
“He’s like: ‘No, you’re going to play the second half.’ I didn’t play the second half! I left, I came back, sat on the bench, didn’t get a minute of football and I just thought: ‘I don’t like that.’ That goes beyond it for me.
“So at the next international camp I said I’m not going to be joining up with the squad because I’d rather spend it with my family and my newborn children, and that’s the way I saw it. I really enjoyed that time.”
Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender Carragher was largely an understudy to the likes of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell during his international career, despite earning 38 caps and playing at two World Cups and one Euros.
The Scouser has made it clear that much of his focus while away with England was still on his club career.
In 2021, Carragher said that he “didn’t like being away” when he was forced to watch from the bench.
“I shouldn't have been a regular for England, I wasn't good enough – I wasn't better than John Terry or Rio Ferdinand or Sol Campbell,” Carragher said on the Overlap.
“England is the only team in my life, from the age of five, that I didn't dominate. And I accepted that too easily, rather than pushing myself — I was just happy to be in the squad.
“I wouldn't say I loved it. I didn't like being away, especially when you're not playing… I'm not having a go at anybody, but I should have fought a bit more.
“It didn't hurt me enough not to play for England. Even when I was with them, I was thinking about Liverpool on Saturday. I always had that mentality.
“Say Frank Lampard — he wanted to be an England player more than me. I didn't want it enough or force it enough. Whether that would've been good enough, I don't know. I could have done a bit more.”
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Former Aston Villa forward Agbonlahor made three appearances for England between 2008 and 2009 but never featured in a major international tournament.
But he seemingly didn’t mind being left out of squads, even saying that he “hated” arriving at camp under Capello’s leadership.
Speaking on talkSPORT in 2023, the 39-year-old said: “Going in the camp is what people hated doing — not playing for your country — that was a big achievement and honour.
“It was going away, like [Fabio] Capello was like a school teacher; you get there and it is like Man United players, little cliques.
“With players from the big clubs, it was like, ‘Who are you sitting with?’
“I might be sitting with Matthew Upson, Stewart Downing and Phil Jagielka — the players that weren’t at the top clubs.
“It was like you can’t sit there — the Man City or Chelsea boys are there.
“They had their half of the dining table; that’s what I did not like.
“Though playing for my country was a big honour.”
Topics: England, FIFA World Cup
Luke Davies