The skipper of the England football team, Steven Gerrard, has hailed Ashley Cole for his wonderful international career and has said that Cole is one of the best defenders that England has ever produced.
The upcoming friendly match against Brazil is going to be Cole’s 100th match for England.
When asked about Cole’s international career, Gerrard said, “He has been a great servant of English football over the years. He is certainly one of the best defenders that I have played alongside with. He has had a great international career. To play 100 matches for your country is really great. It will be a special occasion for Ashley.”
“He has put up a lot of match winning performances for England. I don’t think England has ever produced a better left back than him. I am extremely lucky to have got the chance to play alongside such a great player.”
In 2008, Cole was booed by the England supporters in a match against Kazakhstan. That was because Cole’s back pass had given Kazakhstan the opportunity to score a goal. However, England had won that match by a huge margin of 5-1.
When asked about that incident, Gerrard said, “It was a long time ago. After that, Cole has won quite a few matches for England and has earned a lot of respect. He deserves a lot of appreciation for what he has done for the England team in the last few years. The fans also know that.”
The manager of the England U21 team, Stuart Pearce, has also hailed Cole. Pearce said, “Cole is a great defender. He has been an unsung hero of many England victories over the years. He is one of the most dedicated players that you will ever see.”