RIO FERDINAND has admitted that club rivalries “killed” England’s Golden Generation.
The Three Lions boasted a slew of world class players with Ferdinand playing alongside the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Ashley Cole, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney.
But the team never managed to get past the quarter-final stage at a major tournament, suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Brazil in 2002, penalty shootout losses to Portugal in 2004 and 2006 and failing to qualify for Euro 2008.
Manchester United legend Ferdinand, who won 81 England caps between 1997 and 2011, says his desperation to win for his club ruined the Three Lions’ chances.
He told The Times magazine: “It overshadowed things. It killed that England team, that generation.
“One year we would have been fighting Liverpool to win the league, another year it would be Chelsea.
“So I was never going to walk into the England dressing room and open up to Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, John Terry or Joe Cole at Chelsea, or Steven Gerrard or Jamie Carragher at Liverpool because of the fear they would take something back to their club and use it against us.
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“I didn’t realise that what I was doing was hurting England at the time.
“I was so engrossed, so obsessed with winning with United – nothing else mattered.”
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And Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles, the League Cup twice, the Club World Cup and the 2008 Champions League, was not sorry on reflection.
“If I had my time again, would I be different? I’d like to try to be different,” he added.
“But if it meant I wasn’t going to win my trophies, I don’t think I’d change.”
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