'We tried' - Rooney defends his England team

England legend Wayne Rooney does not think recent squads have a better attitude than his so-called golden generation - and says his team just "didn't quite manage to get over the line".

Ex-Three Lions captain Steven Gerrard made headlines this week when he said their lack of success was down to key players being "egotistical losers".

Gerrard, who played for England 114 times between 2000 and 2014, added "we weren't a team".

But Rooney, speaking on his BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show, did not quite see it like that.

Rooney played 120 times for England, scoring a then record 53 goals, between 2003 and 2018.

Neither Gerrard nor Rooney ever got to a semi-final with England - but the Three Lions have reached two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final since.

"Obviously, we didn't win anything," said ex-Manchester United forward Rooney.

"I wouldn't quite put it that way but I know what he's saying. There was a lot of big characters in the dressing room.

"I wouldn't say [England squads now have a] better attitude. That's disrespectful to us as players because we worked hard, we tried. We didn't quite manage to do it.

"Even when you look back with the players we had could we have done better? We could have but it wasn't to be."

He continued: "What you have now is [rival teams'] players training [together] before they go back to pre-season together - Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford for instance.

"It's a different generation. The big thing is the media coverage of it is much better. The players get on better with the media. From the outside that gives a better feeling."

Gerrard, speaking as a guest on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, said several former Manchester United and Liverpool players get on better now as pundits than they ever did as England team-mates.

"I didn't feel part of a team. I didn't feel connected with my team-mates, with England," he said.

In response, Rooney said: "It [was] difficult to have that relationship with Liverpool and Man Utd players. It's easier now.

"I speak to Steven all the time [now]. You can have better relationships now because you can have a beer together and relax more.

"I was fine with everyone, I got on with everyone. I was aware Becks [David Beckham] and Gary Neville and Scholesy [Paul Scholes], you could see they weren't going to be close to the Liverpool players.

"But one thing for sure is everyone worked hard for each other. I don't think that was an issue. We just didn't manage to get over the line. I didn't see that at all."

Rooney, like Gerrard, played in six major tournaments for England but only reached quarter-finals.

But he said the players always "100%" "believed we could win for sure".

Watch the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube,, external and iPlayer. Listen on BBC Sounds.