WAYNE BRIDGE: ENGLAND SENIOR CAREER PROBED

Wayne Bridge scored once in 36 appearances during his seven-year stay with the England senior national team. The left-back played for both the England u-18s and u-21s before he was given a call-up to the senior team by Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson. Virtually all his managers in the England youth team setup predicted that Wayne Bridge will play for the senior team and that prediction came to pass when he was given an invitation to the senior team and the defender made his first full cap against the Netherlands on February 13, 2002. Wayne Bridge proved himself quickly as a reliable left-back and he went on to make two appearances at the 2002 FIFA World Cup tournament in Japan and South Korea. All his appearances at the World Cup in Korea and Japan came as a substitute.

Wayne Bridge also made the 23-man squad for England to the Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal, but he didn’t play at all throughout the tournament as Ashley Cole was the preferred choice at left-back. Wayne Bridge was also used as a left midfielder to solve the problematic position only for him to lose the position to Chelsea teammate Joe Cole due to an injury.

Bridge was recalled to the England squad for the Argentina friendly in November 2005 as the cover for the injured Ashley Cole. He won his 21st England cap during the Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia on June 6, 2007 with his team running out 3-0 winners. Wayne Bridge provided the assist for one of the goals from Joe Cole. His final England senior team appearance was against five-time champions Brazil on February 25, 2010. He didn’t want to make himself available for selection afterwards following allegations involving his friend and former Chelsea teammate John Terry and his former girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel.

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