Andy Cole Snubbed By England Despite Outscoring Alan Shearer
England were blessed with options at centre-forward throughout the 1990s. From the Premier League's all-time leading scorer Alan Shearer to eventual Ballon d'Or winner Michael Owen, the Three Lions were never short on firepower.
However, the 1966 World Cup winners often pride themselves on picking players who deserve it, rather than basing squad selections on a name or reputation. If you played well enough in the season before a World Cup, you would usually have a great chance of being called up.
But that's not how it's always panned out. Take Andy Cole, for example, who was snubbed when Glenn Hoddle named his squad for the 1998 World Cup, despite his incredible displays in front of goal for Manchester United.
Andy Cole Blocked From World Cup Over 'Politics'
Andy Cole in England training
Ahead of the 1998 World Cup in France, every England hopeful had the chance to prove they deserved a seat on the plane during the 1997-98 campaign. Only one of the top four English goalscorers in the Premier League that season went to the World Cup.
Teenage sensation Michael Owen netted 18 times in the top-flight, and was selected by Hoddle. Chris Sutton and Dion Dublin both equalled that tally but were overlooked. Meanwhile, Cole scored 15 times in the league, but that wasn't enough.
A silhouette of Robbie Fowler with Michael Owen and Alan Shearer
A silhouette of Robbie Fowler with Michael Owen and Alan Shearer
He finished the season with 25 goals in all competitions, more than Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham and Ian Wright. That prompted Cole to believe he was worthy of a seat on the plane.
However, he was left out, with Owen, Sheringham, Les Ferdinand and Paul Merson making up the centre-forward options. Speaking on The Beautiful Game podcast, the Man Utd icon recalled his reaction to being left out.
A Bar Chart Depicting English Strikers - Premier League Goals (9798) Including Andy Cole, Ian Wright, Alan Shearer and
"I knew I should have gone. I'm not looking to swap myself for anybody. That season I had done more for Manchester United; I think I ended up getting 20-odd goals for Man United that season," the retired striker explained.
He went on to claim that 'politics in football' were behind the snub. Cole said he laughed to himself after hearing he wouldn't be going to the World Cup, as he continued:
Cole's England Career Was a Nightmare
Why Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham fell out and didn’t speak
Despite being one of the top scorers in Premier League history, Cole found the net just once for his country. That's because his Three Lions career was limited to just 15 matches.
Cole's journey got off to a poor start as he claimed to have been snubbed by Sheringham when entering the field to make his England debut. Years later, the former Man Utd talisman recalled feeling 'embarrassed' as Sheringham refused to shake his hand.
El Hadji Diouf and Jamie Carragher at Liverpool
El Hadji Diouf and Jamie Carragher at Liverpool
That moment sparked a feud between the two men that lasted well over two decades. They even played together for four years at Man Utd, but were never on speaking terms.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph about his first moment wearing an England shirt, Cole said: "I didn't want to play the game after that. That's how embarrassed I felt."
"Snubbed on the line when you're making your debut as a young kid… I think I hit the bar in the game but I couldn't get it out of my mind," he continued.
The duo would only ever speak to argue, as he added: "We never spoke. Unless it was going to be another argument between us… never spoke. We didn't exchange a single word while we were there."
Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 22-09-26.