Summary
England's first senior game at the new Wembley Stadium took place on June 1, 2007.
Midfield trio of Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard all surpassed 100 caps and had successful careers following the 1-1 draw.
Steve McClaren's side was fronted by Alan Smith and Michael Owen, while Wes Brown and Peter Crouch were among the used substitutes.
England's first senior game at the new Wembley Stadium - which saw the iconic twin towers replaced by the famous arch - was against Brazil in a friendly in June 2007, which ended in a 1-1 draw thanks to a stoppage-time equaliser from Diego in front of 88,745 spectators after John Terry had initially opened the scoring - it was the biggest crowd to watch the three Lions since 1987.
The Under-21s had previously played a game in March against Italy. Since then, they have played 96 senior matches at the national stadium, including European Qualifiers, World Cup Qualifiers, Nations League matches, and a recent curtain-raiser for the Thomas Tuchel era. So, to suggest a lot of time has passed since Steve McClaren snipped the red tape on the modernised version of the home of football would be an understatement.
But what became of McClaren’s men from that historic first day at the new office? How many went on to enjoy success under the arch? And are any of them still lacing up their boots in 2025? Below is the starting XI of the first-ever England senior team at the new Wembley. Let's take a closer look at how they have fared since.
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Paul Robinson; Jamie Carragher, Ledley King, John Terry, Nicky Shorey
Between the posts on that historic curtain-raising day stood Paul Robinson. The former Leeds United, Tottenham, Blackburn Rovers, and Burnley shot-stopper was initially seen as David James’ successor for England’s No. 1 shirt. However, a series of high-profile errors on the international stage saw his reign cut short, with Joe Hart eventually taking over after Robinson earned 41 caps.
Jamie Carragher, despite being a defensive stalwart for Liverpool - where he won the Champions League in 2005 and became the club’s all-time Premier League appearance leader later down the line - found himself lost in the shuffle of England’s overcrowded backline. As a result, he amassed just 38 international caps, never really able to stamp his authority on the starting lineup - though his intelligence within the game has certainly shone through post-retirement as he is considered one of the best pundits.
Ledley King, once hailed as one of England’s finest defenders, saw injuries cruelly cut short what could have been a legendary career. A one-club man with Tottenham, he managed just 21 England caps before being forced into early retirement. Meanwhile, his centre-back partner that day, John Terry, would go on to enjoy a far more illustrious career after scoring England's only goal on the day. The Chelsea legend captained his club to five Premier League titles, a Champions League triumph, and numerous other honours, earning 78 international caps before eventually finishing his playing days at Aston Villa and moving into coaching.
Nicky Shorey won just two England caps despite nearly 300 appearances for Reading in their Premier League prime. His career faded through lower-league sides like Colchester and Hungerford, before retiring in 2016. He dabbled in management with Wingate & Finchley and held recruitment roles at Colchester and West Ham, but none lasted long.
Goalkeeper and Defence
Position
Goalkeeper
Right-back
Centre-back
Centre-back
Left-back
Midfield
David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole
McClaren's midfield selection was certainly a crowd-pleaser on such a momentous day for the Three Lions, as three of the four of those who were trusted with thwarting an area of the pitch that Brazil loves to dominate went on to make at least 100 international appearances - thus earning them a golden cap - in trophy-laden careers.
David Beckham remains England's top assist-provider with 42 assists in 115 appearances, and it's hardly a surprise to be reminded that he also assisted the first goal under the arch as his floated set-piece landed right on top of Terry's head. Elsewhere, the debate between who was better out of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard still rages on, but both were present in the first game at the new Wembley.
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While Chelsea icon Lampard remains the highest goalscoring midfielder in Premier League history, having propelled the Blues to unprecedented success in the form of three league titles, a Champions League and Europa League, Gerrard was widely accepted as England's most complete footballer of all time as he would go on to captain the Three Lions on 38 occasions, while also appearing 114 times in total.
Joe Cole, meanwhile, was the one downside to an otherwise very experienced middle of the park. While many pundits of the time tipped him to go on and do great things, injuries prevented him from ever reaching the peaks he was expected to. Still, 56 caps is a respectable tally for someone who had to compete with the likes of Paul Scholes for a starring role.
Midfield
Position
Right Midfield
Central Midfield
Central Midfield
Left Midfield
Attack
Alan Smith & Michael Owen
Michael Owen was England's star striker in 2007, bridging the brief gap between Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney. The 2001 Ballon d’Or winner was battling back from injuries while at Newcastle, but he never fully regained his former brilliance. Once among England’s greatest forwards, his career fizzled out, and he is constantly reminded of how unwelcome he is at Anfield after stints at Real Madrid and Manchester United, though he has found success as a pundit on TNT Sports covering Champions League football.
Alan Smith suffered a similar fate. A horrific leg break at Anfield in 2006 left him with ten pins in his leg, and he still struggles to walk today. His best years came at Leeds United, where he netted 54 goals in 225 appearances and earned 19 England caps (thpugh only ever registering one international goal). Now 44, he moved to Florida in 2020 to coach young players and serves as Academy Director at XL Soccer Academy in Orlando. See the full lineup below:
England 2007 first new wembley match
Attack
Position
Striker
Striker
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Substitutes
Wes Brown, Jermaine Jenas, Michael Carrick and Peter Crouch all starred
McClaren’s bench that day was stacked with cult heroes, each with a story to tell. Take Wes Brown, for example - a dyed-in-the-wool Manchester United defender who lifted 13 trophies, including five Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues, as a boyhood Red. After leaving Old Trafford, he wound down his career with spells at Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers, and even a 14-match stint in the Indian Super League with Kerala Blasters, but sadly declared himself bankrupt in 2023.
Then there was Michael Carrick, an understated yet indispensable midfield metronome during Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign of dominance. Now managing Middlesbrough as they push for a return to the Premier League, Carrick made his name as a player who did the dirty work, so others could shine, and became one of the most decorated English footballers as a result.
Meanwhile, Jermaine Jenas, who racked up over 100 appearances for both Newcastle and Tottenham, transitioned into a hugely successful broadcasting career - once tipped as the natural successor to Gary Lineker on Match of the Day. However, in 2024, his rise came to an abrupt halt after he was dismissed over inappropriate messages to two female colleagues.
EPL-England new Wembley Stadium Related
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Among others to come off the bench was 6ft 7in fan favourite Peter Crouch, a man whose goals - many of them with his signature headers - etched him into Premier League folklore. More recently, Crouchy rolled back the years and returned to action for Liverpool Legends, scoring twice in a 2-0 victory over Chelsea.
Other notable names left unused on the night included Jermain Defoe, one of the Premier League’s all-time top scorers, former England Lionesses boss Phil Neville, and Scott Carson - who may have only won four England caps but continues to earn a living as Manchester City’s third-choice goalkeeper.
David Bentley was one of English football's most promising young footballers, but ended up retiring before the age of 30, before opting for a much simpler life pouring cocktails in Marbella. After retiring from football in 2014, Wayne Bridge largely stepped away from the sport and embraced a quieter life. However, he has made occasional media appearances and dabbled in reality TV, including having made an appearance on 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!'
Rob Green is still a laughing stock among many households for his freakish blunders for England at the 2010 World Cup, Stewart Downing would make a high-profile switch to Liverpool and become somewhat of a cult hero at West Ham, and Keiron Dyer transitioned into a coach after his playing days - somewhere he has expressed an interest in returning to soon.
Substitutes
Position
Left-back
Central midfield
Central Midfield
Striker
Left midfield
Left midfield
Centre-back
Striker
Right midfield
Left-back
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 23/03/2025)