‘I didn’t actually realise how far out I was – it was a terrible decision to shoot from there really, but I’m glad I made it' Joe Cole on his iconic World Cup goal against Sweden

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One of the greatest moments of Joe Cole's career came in a Three Lions shirt

Joe Cole 2006 World Cup
Joe Cole netted a brilliant goal against Sweden in 2006 (Image credit: Getty Images)

With a career that took in eight clubs over two decades and saw him win three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a League Cup, Joe Cole has plenty of fond memories of his playing days.

Along the way, the former West Ham United and Chelsea man also racked up 56 England caps, scoring ten times - one of which provided a clear career highlight.

Cole was part of the Three Lions squad dubbed the ‘Golden Generation’, and while this cohort failed to land any silverware, the talented batch of players did provide some unforgettable moments.

Cole recalls his 2006 World Cup stunner

Joe Cole

Cole had enjoyed a Premier League winning season with Chelsea before the World Cup

“I scored a volley from a long way outside the area for England against Sweden at the 2006 World Cup,” Cole recalls to FourFourTwo. “I grew up watching England at tournaments and idolising Gazza for his goal against Scotland at Euro 96.

“Every time I had the shirt and heard the national anthem, I thought, ‘Wow, I’m in the best 11 players in the country.’

England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson talks to the media in 2001.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's side crashed out at the quarter-final stage in 2006 (Image credit: Getty Images)

“When I scored that goal against Sweden, I didn’t actually realise how far out I was – it was a terrible decision to shoot from there really, but I’m glad I made it. The best bad decision I ever made!”

That goal came at the end of a campaign for Chelsea which had seen him pick up his second straight Premier League medal during which he hit double figures for goals for the first time in his career. There was more to come.

“I had other great periods in my career as well – 2008 was one of my best years, when we got to the Champions League final and I won Chelsea’s Player of the Year award,” he adds.

“Then in terms of my own performances, the year West Ham got relegated was up there, too.”

Joe Cole of Liverpool during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Blackpool at Anfield on October 3, 2010 in Liverpool, England.

Cole would make more than 700 appearances during his career (Image credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Cole’s career would last for the best part of two decades before he hung up his boots after a spell with Tampa Bay Rowdies, the eighth team of his career, in 2018,

“I played more than 700 games and scored over 100 goals, but footballers get remembered for moments – when anyone thinks of their favourite player, they’ll think of two or three moments.

“For me, it’s probably those two in 2006.”

Joe Cole’s memoir Luxury Player is on sale now, published by Seven Dials

Joe Mewis
Joe Mewis

For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.

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