English-Born Player Wouldn't Swap His Ireland Caps to Captain the Three Lions

An English-born player says he wouldn't have swapped his Republic of Ireland caps to captain England.

England boasts a rich history on the international stage, having won the World Cup in 1966.

The likes of Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir David Beckham and Wayne Rooney to name but a few but have represented England.

But not every player is lucky enough to have earned an England cap, with many changing allegiances to pursue an international career, including Steven Reid.

Reid, who was born in London, plied his trade in the Premier League, having played for Blackburn Rovers, West Brom and Burnley.

He represented England at junior levels but decided to play full international football for the Republic of Ireland.

Reid qualified through his grandfather, who was born in County Galway.

Steven Reid decided to represent Republic of Ireland during his career. Image: Getty

The midfielder, who could also operate at right-back, was part of the Irish squad at the 2002 World Cup after being called up as a late replacement and was made captain for their friendly match against the Netherlands in 2006.

Despite being born in England, he wouldn't swap his Republic of Ireland caps for the chance to lead out the Three Lions at Wembley Stadium.

In his column for the Irish Independent in 2015, he wrote: "You could offer me anything now - the extra millions I could have earned had I won 23 caps for England rather than Ireland, the offer of leading England out at Wembley - and I'd turn it down.

"Who cares about money when you think of the things I earned playing for Ireland, the respect from the players and fans I got to meet, the bridges we built with family?

"That was the big thing. Every time I came across to play, I'd hook up with relations. Mum would fly over too. She would reconnect with cousins, aunts, uncles she'd lost touch with - simply because she'd lived in England for so long.

"Playing for Ireland brought a bond back into our family. You can't put a price on that."

Reid earned 23 caps for the Republic of Ireland after making his debut in 2001. He retired from international football in July 2010 in order to concentrate on his club career.