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For England supporters of a particular generation, Euro 2004 stands out as one of the most unforgettable tournaments of the modern era for the Three Lions.

The tournament was defined largely by the extraordinary performances of a teenage Wayne Rooney, who exploded onto the international stage with a series of fearless and electrifying displays. His brilliance gave rise to hopes that England’s so-called ‘golden generation’ might finally bring an end to the nation’s long wait for a major trophy.

Joe Cole and Ashley Cole were both members of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s squad in Portugal for that campaign, which ended in a familiar fashion as England were eliminated on penalties by the hosts in the quarter-finals.

For the two former teammates, that summer remains a bittersweet memory — a tournament defined by fine margins that still offers valuable lessons for England’s current crop of players.

For Joe Cole, the standout memory of Euro 2004 was the emergence of Rooney. The then-Everton striker became the youngest player to score at a European Championship and looked capable of carrying England deep into the tournament with his stunning form.

“The emergence of Wayne Rooney – he was amazing,” Joe recalls.

Ashley Cole, however, first remembers England’s dramatic opening match of the tournament against reigning champions France. Eriksson’s side were on course for a famous win before a stoppage-time double from the unstoppable Zinedine Zidane turned the game completely around.

“Against France…,” Ashley begins, before Joe interjects, “Zidane’s free-kick.”

“And penalty…,” Ashley adds, as Joe jokes, “We ran into some decent teams!”

Despite the heartbreaking nature of England’s exit, Ashley reflects on how special it was to represent his country on such a stage.

“But it was still an amazing experience,” he says. “We were lucky to be part of those England setups – the hotels were incredible, everything was top-class. They gave us every chance to win, but as Joe said, we faced some tough teams.”

“First, there was an unbelievable French side. We went 1-0 up, and then there was the emergence of Rooney – it was only a matter of time before he burst onto the scene – but we couldn’t quite finish it off. Then the next game, he gets injured? Or was it a sending off?”

Joe steps in to clarify before looking ahead: “No, it was in the quarter-final when he got injured, wasn’t it? That changed everything – one of those sliding doors moments.”

He continues, “If England are to win the World Cup this year, they’ll need those moments to go their way – whether it’s your best player staying fit when he’s in the form of his life, or a referee’s decision that could easily have gone against you.”

“The margins are incredibly fine. People often criticise teams for not winning the World Cup, but it’s an extremely difficult thing to do. There are some great teams that have never managed it.”

‘Could It Be Coming Home? with Joe Cole and Ashley Cole’ is presented by Carling, the official sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup and the Adobe Women’s FA Cup. The show is available on YouTube and Spotify, as well as on major podcast platforms.

Chris Flanagan, Senior Staff Writer