With wives quarreling and players forming factions, why has England been without a championship for so many years?

When Gerrard mentioned the "England Golden Generation" again, there was no pride on his face, only regret.

In that era with superstars such as Beckham, Owen, Lampard, Gerrard, Ferdinand, Terry, etc., fans had high hopes, but they failed to reach the top eight again and again, leaving endless sighs.

Recently, Liverpool legend Gerrard publicly talked about the root cause of the team's failure for the first time in a podcast hosted by Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand - not lack of strength, but a lack of unity.

⚽ "We were never really a team"

Gerrard's original words are intriguing: "The England team has never really been integrated. Everyone is too conceited."

He said that every time he reports to the national team, he feels very depressed and even "hates that kind of life."

It's not because the game is hard, but the indifferent atmosphere inside is suffocating - no one communicates sincerely, no one wants to sacrifice.

He admitted frankly that he did not get along with Ferdinand in the team, and the two had almost no communication at the time.

It was not until many years after retiring and letting go of the club's antagonistic stance that the two became true friends.

"I find it interesting now to see Carragher and Neville sitting together to comment on the game - we were not so harmonious back then." Gerrard said with a wry smile.

One sentence tells the biggest secret of the failure of England's golden generation:

A national team divided by clubs can never become a championship team.

British media revealed: Wives quarreled, players ate at separate tables

The British media "Daily Mail" further revealed the inside story of the chaos in its report.

During the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the England team's "wives group" (a group of players' wives and girlfriends) quarreled in the hotel almost every night, comparing themselves to each other and making sarcastic remarks;

The relationship between the players was equally tense. The "club factions" with Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea as the core fought openly and secretly, and even had to eat at separate tables in the restaurant;

When traveling on the bus, they were also grouped by club, as if it was not a national team, but an "internal derby."

The most critical thing is that the then coach Eriksen had a gentle personality and lacked prestige, and was completely unable to control this group of "star-studded" giants.

As a result, England stopped in the quarterfinals of that World Cup, and the golden generation collectively flamed out at their peak age.

Looking back, no one doubts the strength of that team:

Lampard and Gerrard are world-class midfielders, Beckham's crosses are unmatched, Ferdinand and Terry guard the defense, and Owen and Rooney shine as the front two stars.

But such a talented lineup failed to win an international trophy due to internal discord.

Factional culture: England's invisible cancer

In fact, the "factional culture" of the England team has existed as early as the last century.

The fierce competition in the Premier League has entrenched hostility between clubs.

Players from Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and other giants are fighting to the death in the league, and they still carry that energy with them when they reach the national team.

They wear the same jersey, but have different thoughts.

Liverpool people look down on Manchester United people, and Manchester United people look down on Chelsea people, and they don’t even bother to eat together off the field.

So, whenever the game is in trouble, no one is willing to take the initiative - after all, "I am not his person."

Gerrard's reflection actually expressed the sentiments of many old England players:

"We lack the collective consciousness like Italy and Germany. Everyone wants to be the protagonist, but no one wants to be a teammate."

Southgate's "Villain Revolution"

It was not until Southgate took office that England finally began to get rid of this culture.

The first thing he did was not to reform tactics, but to break down factional barriers.

Southgate stipulates that the players' seats are changed randomly every day; training must be done across clubs;

young players and senior players must have dinner together - any form of small circles must be broken up.

This "gentle but firm" change finally allowed the England team to rebuild team cohesion.

Under the leadership of Southgate, England reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the 2020 European Cup finals. Although they failed to win the championship, their mental outlook took on a new look.

He proved a truth:

It's not that English players are not good, but that England in the past was too "divided".

Tuchel’s hint: Will Bellingham repeat the same mistakes?

It is worth noting that a similar problem has occurred recently in the England team.

Former England interim coach Tuchel hinted in an interview:

"Although some players have outstanding personal abilities, they will destroy the team atmosphere."

It is generally believed that he was referring to Bellingham.

This young midfielder who is in full swing at Real Madrid is considered to have "too much aura" in the national team, which affects the harmony in the locker room.

If the rumors are true, then England is faced with an old problem - when the individual shines too brightly, can the team still prosper together?

History tells us that even if you have the strongest lineup, if you are not aligned, you are bound to fall short.

Written at the end: No matter how strong the talent is, it can't compete with a divided heart

The story of England's "golden generation" is actually a mirror.

It tells us that championships are not created by stars, but by trust, sacrifice and unity.

What the Three Lions lost back then was not their skills and tactics, but their hearts.

And today’s generation of Bellingham, Foden, and Rice are also walking on that fork in the road.

If only they could remember what Gerrard said -

"England were never really a team.. "

Perhaps, they can avoid becoming another "golden generation's regret".