Former England and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard considered that arrogance and club rivalries deprived the “Three Lions” national team of winning international tournaments during his playing era.

Gerrard, regarded as part of England’s “golden generation,” was among a talented group of players who failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals of any major tournament despite several managerial changes.

However, Gerrard’s most notable achievement remains leading Liverpool to the 2005 UEFA Champions League title.

The England squad at that time included Manchester United stars such as Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, and Wayne Rooney, as well as Chelsea players like Ashley Cole, John Terry, and Frank Lampard, who themselves achieved great success at club level in the Premier League and Champions League.

Gerrard stressed that these divisions between English clubs prevented the national team from bonding as one unit, saying on the “Rio Ferdinand Presents” podcast: “We were a bunch of arrogant losers. Why didn’t we bond when we were twenty or twenty-one? Was it arrogance? Or rivalry?”

The 45-year-old, who previously coached Saudi club Al-Ettifaq, added: “It comes down to the culture in England. We weren’t friends or connected. We weren’t a team. We never became a strong, cohesive team at any point.”

England still seeks to break its trophy drought since winning the 1966 World Cup, despite reaching the finals of the last two European Championships under Gareth Southgate.

Gerrard believes Southgate “has not been fully appreciated for his ability to unite the England squad.”