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The summer of 2006 was meant to be England’s moment.
With David Beckham as captain, Wayne Rooney the prodigious young star, Rio Ferdinand anchoring a world-class defence and Sven-Goran Eriksson leading England into his third World Cup, belief was everywhere.
In an era when celebrity culture was exploding, the hype was relentless. From packed pubs to front page headlines, the tournament became a shared national obsession.
So why did England’s World Cup dream end in on-field agony and off-field acrimony?
Watch England 2006: The Golden Generation from Monday, 11 May on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Available to UK users only.
