Richards names shock Liverpool player in combined England XI over 'Golden Generation' legend

Former Manchester City defender and pundit Micah Richards has put together a combined England XI of the 2006 and 2022 World Cup squads.

The 2006 squad has been described as the 'Golden Generation' and for good reason as it was stacked with talented players.

The likes of Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Michael Owen and David Beckham were all included.

Richards could only fit one defender from this year's squad into the combined XI.

Richards: Ability wise Trent has to be there

Alexander-Arnold was that single defender to make Richards' cut but it wasn't an easy decision for the pundit.

“I need some parameters on this. Gary Neville was in the squad, but he was coming towards his end so it’s a difficult one,” Richards told Joe's YouTube channel.

“I’m not picking the 2006 version, you have to state that though. I’m going to pick Trent or James or Trippier and people are going to say ‘they’re not better than Neville.’ But it’s this version.

“Ability wise Trent has to be there, but he’s not played that well for England, so I have to have him. The reason I’m having Alexander-Arnold is because the rest of the team is balanced with the midfield and the centre-backs.”

(Image via: Alamy)

Former Manchester United and England right-back Gary Neville also shares Richards' high praise for Alexander-Arnold: “Alexander-Arnold is an absolute phenomenon when it comes to the quality of his passing, his delivery. It’s something I’ve never seen before from a full-back,” Neville said last year.

“It’s like De Bruyne, it’s Beckham, it’s Gerrard, and they’re attacking players. He’s playing at right-back, it’s the highest accolade I could pay him.”