ENGLAND are set to host Australia on Friday in an international friendly at Wembley.
And the Three Lions will be feeling very confident of a positive result as they prepare for Tuesday’s crucial Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy.
England lost to Australia 3-1 during an international friendly in 2003
Wayne Rooney made his debut that night and went on to make historyGetty
Francis Jeffers picked his one and only cap against Australia at the Boleyn GroundGetty
That is because England have won four out of all their seven matches against the Socceroos, who have only emerged victorious once.
The Aussies’ one and only victory took place in 2003 during another friendly that took place at the Boleyn Ground.
International friendlies are rarely an important occasion, but this one was special as that was when Wayne Rooney made his debut.
Rooney went on to make history by breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s record and becoming England’s all-time leading goalscorer with 53 goals in 120 appearances.
The Manchester United legend held on to that record for eight years until Harry Kane overtook him in March.
However, things got off on the wrong foot for the then Everton wonderkid as Sven-Goran Eriksson’s men lost 3-1.
Australia led by two goals thanks to Anthony Popovic’s header and Harry Kewell’s strike.
Francis Jeffers then put England back in the game in his one and only cap.
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But Brett Emerton sealed his country’s famous victory against the “Golden Generation”, who had a lot of their top players on the pitch.
Eriksson started David James in goal with Gary Neville at right-back and Ashley Cole on the other side, while Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand teamed up at centre-back.
Captain David Beckham covered the right wing with Kieron Dyer on the other side, while Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard linked up in midfield.
Michael Owen and James Beattie spearheaded Eriksson’s frontline.
Paul Robinson, Ledley King, Wes Brown, Paul Konchesky, Danny Mills, Owen Hargreaves Danny Murphy, Jermaine Jenas, Darius Vassell and of course Jeffers as well as Rooney came off the bench.
Richard Wright, Matthew Upson, Sean Davis, Scott Parker and Joe Cole stayed on the bench.