England have not been short of talent in their 152-year history, with plenty of world-class talent starring for the Three Lions.
The likes of Wayne Rooney, Peter Shilton, Sir Bobby Charlton and David Beckham were just a few players to have claimed over a century of caps for the Three Lions.
Whilst most players who manage to represent England probably get a number of caps that reflects their talents as a player, there are some who have severely underserved their country, whether that be through no fault of their own or their own actions.
Here are five players we felt should have had more caps for the Three Lions..
Matt Le Tissier [8 caps]
With 209 goals in 540 appearances spanning 15 years at Southampton, Le Tissier managed three consecutive 20+ goal seasons in the Premier League for the Saints. However for ‘Le God’, his success on the south coast did not reflect his exploits for his country, with the attacking midfielder receiving only eight caps, three of which were starts. Unfavoured by Graham Taylor, Terry Venables and Glenn Hoddle, some fans have suggested the Saints star’s reluctance to chase and tackle could have been a contributing factor to his lack of caps, in an era of the hard, reckless tackles.
Andy Cole [15 caps]
Fourth in the Premier League’s all time top scoring charts, and previous holder of many records in the league, it would be a shock to many that Andy Cole only mustered 15 appearances for the Three Lions. Although his international career lacked the stardust as his club career, with only one goal in his England career, it would be foolish to think Cole only deserved 15 caps. The main issue it appeared to be was the plethora of striking options then manager Glenn Hoddle had at his disposal, with Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand and Teddy Sheringham at the peak of their powers.
Steve Bruce [0 caps]
Described as one of the best players to have never played for his country, Bruce was a mainstay in a Manchester United side who started off the Premier League era in dominant fashion. A centre back with a goalscoring touch, the former Newcastle manager scored 36 goals for the Red Devils, whilst becoming the first English player of the 20th century to captain a team to the double. Bruce was offered the chance to win his first cap by Terry Venables when he became Three Lions boss in 1994, but he declined, stating in an interview when asked about being given the opportunity to represent England: “I would rather not have had an international career than just a sympathy cap.”
Michael Carrick [34 caps]
A mercurial defensive midfielder who was the beating heart in numerous Premier League sides but nothing got the recognition he deserved for his country. Praised by the likes of Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger, Michael Carrick only started 22 of the 34 games he played for the Three Lions, and it’s only now that people look back and realise Carrick’s ability as a midfielder. Unfortunately for the now Middlesbrough manager, his chance at England was scuppered by the persistence to make a midfield two of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard work.
Jack Wilshere [34 caps]
Another midfielder, but someone who could potentially still be playing for England had things not turned out the way they did. Jack Wilshere made his Three Lions debut at 18-years-old against Hungary in 2010, but his international career would only last six years, with his last appearance for England coming in the embarrassing Euro 2016 defeat to Iceland. At that point, Wilshere was only 24-year-old, and with Gerrard and Lampard now retired, he was meant to spearhead the new Three Lions midfield. Sadly for the now 32-year-old, severe injuries and moves away from Arsenal blighted his career, and he was forced to retire in 2022.
