Frank Lampard

Written by Rob Eddy

England Player Profiles

Frank Lampard perhaps more than most will be looking to use this summer's World Cup in South Africa to silence a few doubters after enduring a love-hate relationship with a section of the England supporters over the last couple of years.

 

 

 

 

Having proven himself as a prolific goalscoring midfielder for his club, Chelsea, and indeed in the early part of his national career, a small minority of the England fans have jeered him of late and he will be anxious to silence them once and for all.

 

Lampard started his career at his father's former club, West Ham, and established himself as a first-team regular in the 1997-98 season, before scoring 14 goals in all competitions the following year to help the Hammers to their highest Premier League finish and underline his ability to provide a threat from midfield.

 

He moved to Chelsea in 2001 for £11million and has been an integral part of the club's success as his own career has gone from strength to strength, winning a clutch of honours en route.

 

Peter Taylor recognised the potential of Lampard while at West Ham and gave him his England Under-21 debut in 1997, before the player went on to score nine goals in 16 appearances.

 

Only Alan Shearer and Francis Jeffers, both strikers, have scored more Under-21 goals than Lampard, again emphasising his ability to provide ammunition from midfield.

 

The midfielder took some time to establish himself as a regular in the full national side after making his debut in 1999 in a friendly against Belgium.

 

He was overlooked for both Euro 2000 and the World Cup in 2002, but was taken to Portugal in 2004 for the European Championships and has never looked back.

 

Lampard scored three goals in England's four matches in the tournament, including the equaliser against the hosts in extra-time in the quarter-finals before the side lost in the shootout, to earn a place in UEFA's team of the tournament.

 

Paul Scholes' retirement following that tournament opened the door for Lampard in the national side and the Chelsea man has now become a permanent fixture in the side.

 

Lampard was voted England Player of the Year in both 2004 and 2005, as he scored five goals in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup but failed to shine in South Korea and Japan as England disappointingly failed again at the quarter-final stage.

 

Although he played every minute of England's campaign he went scoreless throughout the tournament, and even missed his spot-kick in the penalty shootout defeat to Portugal.

 

Of course England did not even make it to the Euro 2008 finals and Lampard's only goal of the qualifying campaign came in the 3-2 defeat to Croatia at Wembley which sealed Steve McClaren's fate.

 

He ended a personal barren scoring streak with a goal in a 4-0 friendly win over Slovakia at Wembley, the 500th England goal at the famous stadium, and under Fabio Capello, scored four goals to help England book their place in the South Africa showpiece.

 

To date, Lampard has scored 20 times in 77 England appearances and will be hoping to add plenty more to the tally to steer Capello's resurgent England to glory on July 11.

 

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