Where England’s starting XI the last time they faced Poland in 2012 are now, including Ashley Cole and Joleon Lescott
ENGLAND travel to Poland on Wednesday, almost nine years after a drab draw that seemed to sum up the Three Lions’ problems.
Wayne Rooney’s header was cancelled out by Kamil Glik’s second-half strike to cap a poor outing for a Roy Hodgson team plagued by issues on the ball.
Gareth Southgate’s England team can demonstrate that they are a class above with a crucial World Cup qualifying win in Warsaw.
Here, SunSport details the players who last travelled to Poland, for a clash back in October 2012, and where they are now.
Joe Hart
Fresh from Manchester City’s maiden Premier League title triumph, Hart was in his pomp in 2012.
But a mistake at that summer’s Euros was followed up by another for Glik’s equaliser in what proved to be a difficult season for the keeper, who was eventually dropped by Pep Guardiola and joined Celtic in August.
Glen Johnson
England’s spate of quality right-backs arguably started with Johnson’s 54-cap tenure, with the 2012-13 season among his best for Liverpool.
Retiring in 2019, he now operates as a pundit while running his charity and an investment firm with interests in real estate, art, fine wine and sporting memorabilia.
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Phil Jagielka
The centre-back won 40 caps as England worked their way through the post-Rio Ferdinand and John Terry era.
A long spell with Everton ended with a move back to first club Sheffield United in 2019 and the 39-year-old recently signed for Championship Derby.
Joleon Lescott
Only recently, Lescott’s career came full circle as he joined the England Under-21 setup under boss Lee Carsley.
Having made his debut in 2007, the Poland match was one of his last for the Three Lions and he is now a pundit, Puma ambassador, and Uefa A licence holder as he begins his career with the U21s.
Ashley Cole
Arguably one of world football’s best left-backs this century, Cole was one of the few ‘Golden Generation’ players left in Hodgson’s team in 2012.
Frank Lampard brought him into his Derby coaching setup after he retired from playing at Pride Park in 2019, and he is now Under-15s coach at Chelsea and another member of Carsley’s England U21s staff.
James Milner
An understated but popular character across the game, 35-year-old Milner left the England team in 2016 to prolong his club career.
The player continues to be a valuable part of the Liverpool side that won the Champions League and Premier League, and he even joined on a free transfer.
Michael Carrick
Although a technically-gifted midfielder who is loved at Manchester United, Carrick never quite hit the same heights for England.
His 34 caps spanned 14 years and he hung up his boots to go straight into the Old Trafford coaching team, while also running a charity in his name and releasing an autobiography in 2018.
Steven Gerrard
The 2014 World Cup campaign would be Gerrard’s last with England, ending an international career of 114 caps and 21 goals.
This trip to Poland was certainly not his finest evening but he may one day be seen as a future Three Lions manager, after returning Rangers to the top of the Scottish tree last season.
Tom Cleverley
Cleverley, 32, was hailed as a potential mainstay in the side when making his competitive debut only a month before the Poland draw.
A year later and he played what was to be his final England cap and he was even subjected to a petition to ban him from the 2014 World Cup squad, but today he remains a part of the Watford side that recently won promotion.
Jermain Defoe
The striker narrowly missed out on a call-up to the World Cup in Brazil but he briefly returned for a final outing with England in 2017.
Now 38 and awarded an OBE for his charity work, the Rangers star combines his role on the Ibrox pitch with the backroom as a player-coach for Gerrard’s side.
Wayne Rooney
It may or may not be a surprise that the only two men from this team who have since become first-team managers are also the most famous.
Currently in charge of Derby, England record-scorer Rooney helped the Rams dodge relegation from the Championship last season.
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