How England lined up last time they played Ireland in Dublin, with two stars now unemployed and three in foreign leagues
ENGLAND are set to face the Republic of Ireland later this year after they drew in the same group for the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League.
But it has been nine years since the Three Lions last played in Dublin after a dismal 0-0 draw under Roy Hodgson.
England and Ireland haven’t met since Sunday, June 7, 2015 – except for a behind-closed-doors friendly in 2020.
They will now come face to face in Ireland after drawing in the same group for the UEFA Nations League which begins on September 5.
But one memorable thing from the match in 2015 was Jamie Vardy who made his debut for England at 28-years-old after helping Leicester escape relegation in the 2014-15 season.
Vardy then a year later would play for the Three Lions in the Euro 2016 and become a Premier League champion.
The game marked 20 years since the Lansdowne Road riots forced the abandonment of the 1995 friendly between the two teams after just 27 minutes, with Ireland leading 1-0.
But the team that started nine years ago are in a very different place now, so let’s take a look.
Joe Hart
Hart was once a key player for England but is currently in Scotland, playing for Celtic.
The ex-Manchester City shot-stopper won the SPL title in his first two terms at the Glasgow side but could struggle to win a third.
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In 2015 the clash in Ireland was Hart’s 75th cap for England and 43rd clean sheets.
Phil Jones
Jones has been off the radar this season as the 32-year left Manchester United last summer after spending over a decade at Old Trafford.
The now free agent has been keeping busy as he plans his future starting PFA sporting director course.
And in Dublin, the ex-Blackburn star played the full 90 minutes at right-back.
Gary Cahill
Cahill, 38, has now hung his boots and spends quality time with his family in Surrey.
But back in 2015, he was on terrific form while playing for Chelsea.
That year he won the Carling Cup and Premier League under Jose Mourinho.
The former Bolton ace made his final appearance for England in 2018 securing 61 caps in his career.
Chris Smalling
Now at Roma, Smalling in 2015 was in his prime at Manchester United.
The 34-year-old nicknamed Smalldini left Old Trafford in 2020 after a decade at the club.
And is now managed by Daniele De Rossi after the previous boss Mourinho was sacked last month.
Ryan Bertrand
Bertrand is now a free agent after being released from Leicester last season.
The Champions League winner was spotted training with his former Chelsea side over the summer as he prepares for his next move.
The 34-year-old left-back hasn’t played competitively since December 2021, after suffering a long-term knee injury.
In 2015 as well as playing in Dublin the finance lover set up his own fintech brokerage called Silicon Market.
Jordan Henderson
Fans will be a bit more familiar with Henderson’s life.
The ex-Liverpool captain signed for Ajax last month after calling his time short in Saudia Arabia after six months.
Henderson has so far made 81 appearances for England and hopes to win a spot on Gareth Southgate‘s Euro 2024 squad in the summer.
Jack Wilshere
Wilshere may not had the success fans expected him to have.
But he still had a respectable career which ended at Danish side AGF on July 2022.
The former Arsenal star is now a highly-rated academy coach for the Gunners.
James Milner
Milner has made 20 appearances for Brighton since leaving from Liverpool last summer.
The 38-year-old midfielder signed a one-year contract with the Seagulls with the option of another season.
In 2015 the three-time Premier League champ played the full 90 minutes in Dublin.
Raheem Sterling
Six weeks after the game in Dublin Sterling would go on to become the most expensive English player of all time – leaving Liverpool for Manchester City in a £50m deal.
But nine years on Sterling’s career looks very different as he now finds himself frozen out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
Having won almost every title at Manchester City the 29-year-old is now battling it out with Chelsea’s perpetual struggles.
Wayne Rooney
And the final player of the 2015 Three Lions squad in Dublin was captain Rooney.
He would be going into his penultimate season with United and was replaced in the 75th minute by Vardy after failing to find the back of the net hinting at how his glittering career was coming to an end.
Since his retirement in 2021, the ex-striker has not had much success in the dugout after recently being sacked from his third management role at Birmingham last month.