Teddy Sheringham - International Career

International Career

Something of a late developer on the international scene, Sheringham did not win his first England cap until the age of twenty-seven in 1993. Under the reign of manager Terry Venables (1994–96) Sheringham came to be favoured as the preferred strike partner for Alan Shearer. During this time England had a wealth of strikers with the likes of Andrew Cole, Ian Wright, a young Robbie Fowler and Les Ferdinand all battling to partner Shearer in the England team.

The two formed a famous partnership at international level, as they complemented each other's strengths: Shearer the out-and-out goalscorer, big, strong and powerful, Sheringham just 'dropping off' his strike partner, finding spaces, creating play and providing key passes, forming the link between Shearer and the England midfield. The pairing came to be known as 'The SAS' ('Shearer And Sheringham' and Shearer was a member of another SAS at club level: Shearer And Sutton) and their most successful time together came in the 1996 European Championships, held in England. Their most famous contribution was in the 4–1 victory over Holland, a game in the opening group stages in which they both scored twice against one of the strongest teams in the tournament. Though England were eventually knocked out in the semi-finals, many believed that that squad of players such as Sheringham and his contemporaries including Paul Gascoigne, Steve McManaman, Tony Adams and Paul Ince, had done the nation proud. Unfortunately, the England squad were also criticised heavily in the media for their part in several off the field incidents during the lead up to the tournament, where Sheringham, McManaman and Gascoigne were photographed drinking heavily and playing "dentist chair" drinking games as well as destroying the first class cabin of a Cathay Pacific flight, which went down poorly with the public.

Sheringham continued to be a first choice selection under new England manager Glenn Hoddle (1996–99) until the emergence of new teenage superstar Michael Owen during the course of 1998 saw him overshadowed. Although Sheringham began the 1998 FIFA World Cup as a starting player with Owen on the bench, after Owen replaced him and almost turned around a defeat against Romania in England's second game of the tournament, it seemed likely that Sheringham's front line international career had come to an end.

He was not selected at all for the 2000 European Championships by then manager Kevin Keegan, but the retirement of Shearer (despite being four years younger than Sheringham) from international football after that tournament and the arrival of new manager Sven-Göran Eriksson in 2001 saw a return to international favour for him. He was often deployed as a tactical substitute late in games by Eriksson, valued for his ability to hold the ball up and create intelligent play. In 2001, Sheringham scored an important goal for England against Greece in a World Cup qualifying match within 15 seconds of coming on as a substitute, although this event is overlooked by the 93rd minute equalising free-kick by David Beckham. Sheringham had won the free kick scored by Beckham, and had even suggested to the England captain that he take it as Beckham had missed several already in the match, but Beckham decided to take the kick himself.

He was selected as part of Eriksson's 2002 FIFA World Cup squad after impressing throughout the 01–02 season for club,and played in the famous 1–0 win against Argentina, almost scoring a goal with a shot that was well saved by the Argentine goalkeeper, and made his final England appearance as a substitute in the 2–1 quarter-final defeat to Brazil in Japan. His twelve appearances for Eriksson were all as a substitute.

At the age of thirty-six, that defeat signalled the final end of Sheringham's international career, during which he had earned fifty-one caps and scored eleven times for England.