Former Tottenham and Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham named an ex-Liverpool star as the worst player he played with at international level. The legendary centre-forward was one of the finest England number nines of his generation, capable of being both the main goal threat and a provider for players like Alan Shearer.
Sheringham made 51 appearances for the Three Lions, scoring eleven goals, and featured in three major tournaments. Although he had the opportunity to line up alongside some of the country’s greatest talents, including David Beckham and Paul Gascoigne, the 58-year-old didn’t hesitate when asked to name the worst England player he ever played alongside.
David Beckham’s Response to Sheringham Trying to Take Free-Kick vs Greece
David Beckham’s famous free-kick goal vs Greece would have never happened if Teddy Sheringham talked him into giving the ball up.
Sheringham Named His Worst England Teammate
Appearing as a guest alongside former Nottingham Forest teammate Stuart Pearce for a live interview in 2017, Sheringham was asked who he felt was the worst player he had played alongside in the famous white of his country by host and presenter of The Chase, Bradley Walsh.
While Pearce deliberated before answering with Carlton Palmer, Sheringham wasted no time in providing his response. Elaborating on his reasoning, the former West Ham United man explained:
“I’ve got a good one. There’s a fella on the radio at the moment. He talks for fun and he makes out he was the best player in the world.
“Good player in his time, but he played for England and I saw his debut. I was in the squad, but I wasn’t playing at the time. I watched the game. Absolutely shocking – and he gives out so much stick: Stan Collymore.”
The reveal of Collymore prompted rapturous cheers from the audience, who clearly enjoyed Sheringham’s emphatic response. The former Bradford City and Aston Villa forward received three England caps, two of which came in friendlies. He played a total of 90 minutes across his appearances and failed to register a single goal contribution.
Collymore on His International Career
There’s a feeling among certain fans of Collymore’s era that the attacker was talented enough to receive more than the three caps he did. However, the man himself is of a different opinion. Speaking to The Guardian after his retirement in 2001, Collymore stated:
“As a kid I set myself three targets. To be a professional footballer, which I was for 10-12 years. To play for Aston Villa, the club I supported as a kid, and I did. How many kids who support a team actually get out and play for them? And I wanted to play for England. Again, I didn’t get 50 caps, but I got three and one was against Brazil. How can you call that a failure?
“I always find people who do criticise are middle-aged, pot-bellied, really scruffy hacks, and I think to myself: how on earth have you got the nerve?”
While Sheringham certainly doesn’t fit that description, Collymore certainly has a point. He achieved his career objectives, which nobody can take away from him – regardless of what the haters might say behind his back.
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Stan Collymore’s Premier League Stats |
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|---|---|
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Appearances |
163 |
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Goals |
62 |
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Assists |
29 |
Moreover, not everyone who played with Collymore agrees with Sheringham’s assessment. In fact, Paul Merson believes Collymore would be one of the best footballers on the planet if he played now.
“I think if he’d played in this day and age, he would have been one of the greatest players ever to play football. He was six-foot-two, six-foot-three, he was big, strong, quick, he could head the ball, he could hit with both feet,” Merson said.
“He was a good finisher, but people didn’t understand him. People just thought he was very ungrateful and that wasn’t the case. He was an ill person who needed to get well. I think, if he’d played today, we’d be talking about him forever and ever. I thought he was that good.”
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – accurate as of 10/02/2026.
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