Best English Players Who Did Not Enjoy Playing for Their Country

Representing the England national football team is widely seen as an incredible honour. Club football may offer the weekly thrill of competition, but wearing the Three Lions shirt carries a distinct emotional significance. For some players, it symbolises pride and duty — but for others, it can feel like an unwanted burden.

Jamie Carragher openly admitted he preferred spending his weekends with Liverpool rather than England duty, and he was far from alone. Here are ten talented players who, despite their immense ability, had strained or complicated relationships with the national team.

Paul Robinson (41 caps)

It’s uncommon for players to reject an England call-up, but goalkeeper Paul Robinson went one step further in 2010 when Fabio Capello reached out — he retired from international football immediately.

“Only now have I been able to make this decision… I do not see myself as No.3 or No.4 goalkeeper. I find that role very frustrating,” Robinson explained, adding that it was best to focus on club football with Blackburn Rovers.

Between 2003 and 2007, he earned over 40 caps before being dropped following costly mistakes that saw England fail to qualify for Euro 2008. Though he was later recalled to the wider squad, he never played again for his country.

Ben Foster (8 caps)

Long before his podcast fame, Ben Foster was in contention for England’s No.1 shirt, earning eight caps. However, he retired from international duty in 2011 due to a poor relationship with Capello, later admitting the Italian manager showed him “no respect whatsoever”.

Initially citing injuries, Foster eventually confessed he wanted more time with his family. He returned to the squad only after Capello’s departure, when Roy Hodgson became England manager in 2012.

Micah Richards (13 caps)

Micah Richards was once tipped to succeed Gary Neville after making his senior England debut aged just 18 years and 144 days in 2006 — a record at the time. However, when Capello took charge, Richards quickly fell out of favour, earning only one cap under the Italian.

By 2012, Richards found himself on Hodgson’s standby list for Euro 2012 but chose instead to play for Team GB at the Olympics. Ironically, injuries to others could have opened a spot for him, but his decision effectively ended his international career.

Gabriel Agbonlahor (3 caps)

Gabriel Agbonlahor, an Aston Villa legend, made just three senior appearances for England amid the era of Beckham, Gerrard, and Lampard. His discontent stemmed not from representing his country, but from the atmosphere in the camp.

Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “I hated it… Fabio Capello was like a school teacher. You’d walk in, and there were cliques — Man United players here, Chelsea players there. If you weren’t in a top club, you didn’t fit in.”

The fractured environment made him dread international duty, despite the pride of selection.

Ben White (4 caps)

Arsenal’s Ben White has flourished under Mikel Arteta, but his international career remains complicated. After leaving the 2022 World Cup early for “personal reasons”, reports emerged of a fallout with assistant coach Steve Holland.

Although Gareth Southgate insisted the “door was wide open” for Euro 2024, White turned down the opportunity to rejoin the squad. His club performances remain exceptional, but he appears reluctant to commit to England again.

Michael Carrick (34 caps)

A five-time Premier League champion with Manchester United, Michael Carrick’s England career — spanning over a decade — produced only 34 caps. More significantly, it took a heavy toll on his mental health.

“I was finding it hard going away with England,” he later admitted. “I understood the privilege, but I just found it so hard and couldn’t deal with it anymore.”

Carrick even asked the FA not to select him, saying he was “probably on the verge of depression.” His experience reflected the strained morale that haunted England’s so-called “Golden Generation”.

Jamie Carragher (38 caps)

Jamie Carragher, a Liverpool icon, never hid his lack of enthusiasm for England duty. Speaking on The Overlap in 2021, he said: “I didn’t like being away, especially when you’re not playing… Even when I was there, I was thinking about Liverpool on Saturday.”

Competing against John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, and Sol Campbell, Carragher often found himself on the bench. His passion for club football always outweighed his national ambition.

Gary Neville (85 caps)

Few players epitomise club loyalty like Gary Neville, who spent nearly two decades at Manchester United. But his feelings towards England were mixed.

In his autobiography, he confessed: “There have been times when I thought, ‘Well, that was a massive waste of time.’ Playing for England was one long rollercoaster.”

Despite earning 85 caps, Neville often criticised the lack of structure and unity compared to what he experienced under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.

Steve McManaman (37 caps)

During his prime, Steve McManaman was one of Europe’s most skilful wingers and a key figure at Real Madrid. Yet he only managed 37 England caps, largely due to conflicts with managers Glenn Hoddle and Sven-Göran Eriksson.

McManaman was even left out of squads despite dazzling performances in Spain — a decision that puzzled stars like Zidane and Raúl. On one occasion, he personally asked to be omitted from a friendly, effectively ending his England career.

Paul Scholes (66 caps)

The legendary Paul Scholes remains central to one of English football’s greatest debates — the Scholes, Gerrard, and Lampard midfield conundrum. Forced into an unfamiliar left-wing role to accommodate others, he never seemed to enjoy international football.

According to former teammate Michael Clegg, Scholes once said: “He hated playing for England… but kept going because it’s what you had to do.”

In his autobiography, Scholes clarified: “I just got fed up. When you go to a team, you want to play as one — but too many were chasing personal glory. That’s the biggest problem with English players; most are too selfish.”

Conclusão

These 10 stars, despite their brilliance, struggled to find joy representing England. Whether due to management clashes, internal politics, or personal disillusionment, their stories reveal a side of international football rarely discussed — one where talent meets turmoil under the weight of the Three Lions.