Wasn’t trying to start the “debate”, just trying to us it as an example…
The current “squad” have done better and gone further into tourny’s (twice now!) than the “Golden Generation”… hence my suggestion, they’re a better TEAM than the Golden Generation, who may have been better individually on paper back at home at their repsective “clubs”
I don’t disagree with this Chucky. I think it’s clear the current side is a better collective unit. Listened to a lot of the players from that Golden Generation talking about this and they all make the point that there were more club cliques then. You stuck to your group and there was much more inter-club rivalry. Nowadays, I don’t think there’s the same animosity between club rivals. How big a part Southgate has played in that, I have no idea.
Another point and maybe it’s my nostalgia blinding my judgement but looking at some of the sides England went out of tournaments to in that era. That Brazil side in 2002 was immense. Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Carlos, Ronaldinho, Cafu etc. What a side. Argentina with the Beckham red in 98 with Simeone, Batistuta, Zanetti, Ortega, Crespo. 2004 (& 2006) going out on pens to Portugal who then went onto the final. We talk about that team failing but they’ve either gone out to great teams who I don’t think we’d have a chance of beating with today’s side anyway or we’ve gone out on the lottery that is penalties. So, for all the points about this current team being better, we’ve clearly gone further, yes, but I think we were knocked out by much better sides back then than any side who has knocked out this current side.
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