England's XI from historic 2015 Republic of Ireland clash and where they are now
England will face the Republic of Ireland home and away later this year after the pair were drawn in the same group for the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League.
It'll have been nine years since the Three Lions were last in Dublin, as Roy Hodgson's side played out a forgettable 0-0 draw against Martin O'Neill's men in a historic meeting. The match, which was as dismal as international friendlies come, marked 20 years since the Lansdowne Road riots forced a 1995 friendly between the two teams to be abandoned after just 27 minutes, with Ireland leading 1-0.
There were still plenty of storylines in the 1pm kick-off, though, as Jamie Vardy made his England debut after helping Leicester escape relegation in the 2014-15 season. A year later, he'd be going to Euro 2016 as a Premier League champion.
Barring a behind-closed-doors friendly in 2020, which the Three Lions won 3-0, England and Ireland haven't met since Sunday, June 7, 2015. Let's take a look back at how Hodgson's team lined up and where they are now.
Joe Hart
Once an England stalwart, Hart is now up in Scotland playing for Celtic. The ex-Manchester City goalkeeper won the SPL title in his first two seasons with Glaswegian giants but faces a fight to win a third. The trip across the Irish sea saw Hart, now 36, earn one of his 75 England caps and 43 clean sheets.
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Phil Jones
A classic case of, 'What's he up to now' here. Having left Manchester United after 12 years of service last summer, Jones hasn't retired from playing but is using his time as a free agent to plan for the future. The Blackburn Rovers academy graduate, who played 90 minutes at right-back in Dublin, turns 32 later this month and has started a PFA sporting director course.
Gary Cahill
Now retired, Cahill was in the midst of an excellent spell with Chelsea when this fixture was played. Under Jose Mourinho and alongside John Terry, the former Bolton Wanderers star lifted the Carling Cup and Premier League title in 2015. Cahill finished with 61 England caps and is now enjoying being a father aged 38 at his family home in Surrey.
Phil Jones hasn't retired from playing (Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)Chris Smalling
To Rome now, where Smalling has spent the last four-and-a-half years of his career and is happily living aged 34. His nickname of Smalldini is really all you need to know, having amassed nearly 150 appearances for Roma. The ex-United defender is managed by Daniele De Rossi at the Stadio Olimpico after previous boss Mourinho was sacked last month.
Ryan Bertrand
Still a free agent following his release from Leicester, Champions League winner Ryan Bertrand was last spotted training with former club Chelsea over the summer in a bid to regain his fitness. The 34-year-old left-back hasn't played competitively since December 2021, as he suffered long-term knee injury shortly after. Bertrand has a passion for trading and started his own brokerage in 2015.
Jordan Henderson
If you don't know where Henderson is now, you've frankly been living under a rock. The ex-Liverpool captain signed for Ajax in January, cutting short his controversial stay in Saudi Arabia after just six months. Gareth Southgate went to watch Henderson's debut on Saturday, as the 33-year-old played 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw at home to rivals PSV Eindhoven.
Your turn! Does Jordan Henderson deserve to play at Euro 2024? Join the debate in the comments section.
Wayen Rooney's England career was winding down (PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images)Jack Wilshere
Yes, we all know he was tipped to be the next big thing, but Wilshere still had a more than respectable career which ended in a surprising location. The former Arsenal wonderkid, who celebrated his 32nd birthday on New Year's Day, hung up his boots in July 2022 following a spell with Danish side AGF Aarhus. Wilshere is now a highly-rated academy coach back at Arsenal.
James Milner
The embodiment of a stalwart, Milner has already played 20 times for Brighton this season since leaving Liverpool last summer following a trophy-laden eight-year stay. The 38-year-old midfielder signed a one-year contract back in June, with the option of a further season, to extend his extraordinary career. Fittingly, Milner played every minute of the game in Dublin.
Raheem Sterling
Just six weeks after this fixture, Sterling left Liverpool to join Manchester City for £50million, making him the most expensive English player of all-time. Having already signalled his intent to leave Liverpool, though, he was booed at the Aviva Stadium. His display was reflective of England's dreary performance, one lacking any sort of intensity. Sterling went on to win almost everything at club level but the 29-year-old winger now finds himself frozen out of Southgate's England squad thanks to his ongoing struggles at Chelsea.
Raheem Sterling was booed by the crowd (PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images)Wayne Rooney
Gearing up for what'd prove to be his penultimate season at United, Rooney wore the armband for this clash but was toothless as England's sole striker. Replaced by Vardy in the 75th minute, it was another show of his decline. The Old Trafford legend went on to play for Everton, D.C. United and Derby County before going into management, a field in which he's struggled to make a name for himself and was sacked by Birmingham last month.
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Adam Lallana
Now a teammate of Milner's at Brighton, Lallana's prime years were plagued by injury. Although the silky midfielder was part of Liverpool's Premier League and Champions League-winning squads, he was never able to nail down a starting place once Jurgen Klopp forged his famous side. Perhaps his most memorable moment in an England shirt was scoring in Sam Allardyce's only game in charge, a 95th-minute winner in a World Cup qualifier against Slovakia.
Subs: Kieran Gibbs, Rob Green, Theo Walcott, Phil Jagielka, Fabian Delph, Andros Townsend, Charlie Austin, Tom Cleverley, Ross Barkley, Jamie Vardy, Nathaniel Clyne, Tom Heaton
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