09 December 2023 , 06:00
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England are heralded as one of the favourites to win next summer's European Championships in Germany.
That tournament will come two decades on from when the so-called 'Golden Generation' travelled to Portugal for Euro 2004. The Three Lions were also tipped to lift that trophy, but fell to defeat to the hosts in the quarter-finals in a penalty shootout.
Since then, the fortunes of the squad have differed wildly, with some becoming top managers, others turning to ownership and some falling on hard times. Here, Mirror Football looks at where the players from the squad that went to Euro 2004 are now.
Bankruptcy
Then Manchester City keeper David James was England's number one for Euro 2004, going on to win the FA Cup with Portsmouth four years later. But a decade on from the tournament, James fell on hard times.
In May 2014, James was declared bankrupt after his debts piled up after divorcing his wife. He placed hundreds of items of football memorabilia collected during his career on sale to pay off those debts and has since become a pundit.
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Owners
Inter Miami owner David Beckham has sought a career in the business side of the game since Euro 2004 (Photo by GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)Several of that famous Golden Generation have used the millions they earned in their careers to become owners. David Beckham is arguably the most famous, setting up Inter Miami and bringing Lionel Messi to the MLS.
Beckham is also part of the ownership group at League Two side Salford City, alongside former England team-mates Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, who works as the club's chief executive.
Coaches
Birmingham boss Wayne Rooney is one of several members of the squad who have ventured into coaching (Lindsey Parnaby/REX/Shutterstock)While some have turned their hand to ownership, others have pursued a career in coaching. Two of them, in Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole, work together at Championship side Birmingham City, though it has been a difficult start to life at St Andrews'.
Kieron Dyer is an assistant coach at Chesterfield, while Emile Heskey is working with England Under-18s having spent time at Leicester City Women. Further afield, Steven Gerrard is in charge of Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq and Phil Neville was recently appointed manager of MLS team the Portland Timbers.
Frank Lampard has had spells in charge of Derby County, Chelsea and Everton, though is currently out of work. As is John Terry, who has proved to be a successful assistant, but is yet to be given his first managerial role.
Meanwhile, Sol Campbell recently announced his retirement from management after taking charge of Macclesfield Town and Southend United. Ledley King spent a year as an assistant coach at Tottenham, before transitioning into an ambassador role.
Reality stars
As well as being a coach, Dyer has also become a reality TV star, appearing on both I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and the celebrity version of SAS: Who Dares Wins. Former team-mate Wayne Bridge has appeared on other editions of those shows, winning the latter in 2019.
Love scandal
During their playing careers, Bridge and Terry were involved in a love scandal. In January 2010, a super-injunction was imposed by a High Court judge preventing the media from reporting allegations that Terry had had a four-month affair in late 2009 with Vanessa Perroncel, the former girlfriend of Bridge.
Perroncel denied the rumours, with newspapers later admitting they were untrue. But Terry was stripped of the England captaincy due to the incident, while Bridge refused to shake his hand ahead of the first game in which they played each other afterwards.
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Pundits
Second only to coaching in terms of popularity of post-playing career for the 2004 squad is punditry. Former defender Jamie Carragher is ranked among the best pundits currently working on the Premier League alongside his Sky Sports colleague Neville.
Meanwhile, former keeper Paul Robinson, legendary striker Michael Owen, ex-Manchester United star Owen Hargreaves and Chelsea icon Joe Cole all work for Sky Sports' rival TNT Sports.