Essential Football

When Australia beat England's 'Golden Generation'

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Episode notes

England host Australia on Friday – 20 years after the Socceroos stunned the Golden Generation.

In February 2003, sandwiched between a dominant Australia Ashes win and England’s famous rugby World Cup triumph Down Under, the Aussies beat England at football for the very first time.

It was the night when Sven-Goran Eriksson changed the entire England team at half-time, Wayne Rooney made his international debut and Australia landed a painful blow on their big sporting rivals.


Peter Smith reflects on that game with players who were on the pitch...