David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes … England’s midfield during the mid-noughties was special, to say the least.
Few of the Premier League 's finest homegrown talents had a chance of breaking into the national team’s midfield during this time, which says a lot about Stewart Downing's ability.
The 35-cap international was part of England’s so-called "Golden Generation" – representing his country at the World Cup in 2006, a tournament they were tipped to win.