Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes had one big chance to prove they were better than Steven Gerrard, but failed miserably.
The three former England midfielders still prompt debate to this day over who was best, dividing arguably the three biggest fan bases in the country.
England's Golden Generation ultimately failed to deliver, even with an incredible midfield
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England's Golden Generation ultimately failed to deliver, even with an incredible midfieldCredit: Getty
Chelsea’s Lampard and Liverpool’s Gerrard were always the more flashy scorers, while Scholes was seen as a pass master - but that’s just one way of looking at things.
The Manchester United and Chelsea stars picked up far more trophies, but Gerrard often defended as he was playing for a poorer team.
However, when it came to all three of them together, for their country, there’s no arguing that they were a combined failure.
England’s ‘Golden Generation’ never made it past a quarter-final during the trios’ international careers, something still seen as a shock to this day.
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Debate still rages over Gerrard and Lampard not being able to play in the same midfield, while Scholes often being shunted out to the left is used as a stick to beat former manager Sven-Goran Eriksson with.
Yet one day in 2003, Scholes and Lampard had the chance to prove they were better off without their Scouse comrade, but it all went awry.
England hosted Australia for a friendly at West Ham’s former home Upton Park in February, and of Scholes and Lampard’s 18 games together, this was the one and only time they started as a midfield duo together without Gerrard on the pitch.
With a team travelling from the other side of the world to play in one of the fiercest arenas in the country it was the perfect chance for the Chelsea and United midfielders to put Gerrard out of the picture for Euro 2004 in Portugal.
However, the Aussies clearly didn’t read the script, taking the lead through Tony Popovic before a sloppy Lampard was dispossessed in midfield and Rio Ferdinand made Harry Kewell look like Lionel Messi.
England were booed off at half time, and Eriksson changed the whole team for the second half with a then 17-year-old Wayne Rooney being handed his senior England debut.
Lampard and Scholes couldn't contain players they were far superior too
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Lampard and Scholes couldn't contain players they were far superior tooCredit: Getty
The boos quickly began
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The boos quickly beganCredit: Getty
Both sides scored a goal each in the second half for an Australian 3-1 win that The Age newspaper called ‘One of the biggest upsets in soccer history’.
Summing up the mood, substitute Tony Vidmar said: “I don’t think anyone outside the playing camp had the belief that we could go there and win.
“But that was the group of players we had, the self-belief was huge. It wasn’t the first time we’d come up against a top nation and knocked them off. We always had that in our bag.”
To make matters worse for Scholes and Lampard was Gerrard’s impressive record with the Three Lions.
Given his debut was in May 2000, Gerrard was unbeaten in 14 games as an England player, a record he extended to 21 games in 2003, making it four years without defeat.
Explaining his importance after a goal against Serbia and Montenegro in 2003, legendary commentator Martin Tyler said: “Well he’s England’s lucky charm, he’s never been on the losing side.”
Gerrard's England career was flying with an incredible unbeaten run
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Gerrard's England career was flying with an incredible unbeaten runCredit: getty
That streak included his major tournament debut in 2000 where he played just once against Germany, and he then missed the 2002 World Cup through injury.
Returning to the fold for Euro 2004, Eriksson hadn’t learned his lesson and he once again forced Gerrard, Scholes and Lampard into the same midfield and it was another quarter-final exit, this time at the hands of hosts Portugal on penalties.
The story rumbled on and on up until the three retired, but the debates have never stopped, even if those at Upton Park that night got an answer to their question.
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