Before England’s Under-21s took centre stage, there was a curious rival - the England B team. Established in 1947 by Walter Winterbottom, this side acted as a stepping stone for those knocking on the door of the senior squad.

It offered an international stage for fringe players and rising stars eager to make their mark. Its place in the future landscape eventually came under some scrutiny and, in May 2007, the curtain came down on its forgotten chapter.

The B team played a low-key 3-1 victory over Albania’s first team in front of 22,500 fans at Burnley's Turf Moor before bowing out for good. But what became of Steve McClaren’s men from that swan song?

How many broke into the senior England setup? And are any of them still lacing up their boots in 2025? Below is the starting XI of the final-ever England B team. Let's take a closer look at how they have fared since.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Scott Carson; Phil Neville, Michael Dawson, Ledley King, Nicky Shorey

Scott Carson was England’s goalkeeper that day. The former West Brom and Derby shot-stopper earned just four senior caps. Now 41, he left Manchester City in the summer of 2025 after being their third-choice goalkeeper for four years. He then announced his retirement from football.

Phil Neville needs little introduction. A key part of Manchester United’s golden era (1994–2005) alongside brother Gary, he earned 59 England caps before transitioning into management. He coached the Lionesses and Team GB (2018–2021), then took charge of Inter Miami for two years. He most recently managed Major League Soccer outfit Portland Timbers.

At the heart of the defence was Ledley King, a true one-club man whose career was plagued by injuries. Despite barely training, Harry Redknapp called him a “freak” for still outclassing most defenders. He managed 21 England caps before retiring. His longtime Tottenham partner, Michael Dawson, fared slightly worse, earning just four senior caps. Nowadays, he’s a TV pundit.

Nicky Shorey won just two England caps despite nearly 300 appearances for Reading in their Premier League prime. His career faded through lower-league sides like Colchester and Hungerford, before retiring in 2016. He dabbled in management with Wingate & Finchley and held recruitment roles at Colchester and West Ham, but none lasted long.

Midfield

Aaron Lennon, Gareth Barry, David Bentley, Jermaine Jenas

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Aaron Lennon is a name familiar to all fans of English football, having played in the top flight for the best part of two decades. He made his breakthrough as a teenager with Leeds United way back in August 2003. In November of the same year, he became the youngest Premier League player to ever assist a goal, doing so against Arsenal at the age of 16 years and 199 days. He is best known for his time at Tottenham Hotspur, but also spent time in England with Everton and Burnley, before retiring in 2022 after 21 senior caps. He now coaches Leeds United's Under-18s.

David Bentley grabbed an assist to mark the occasion. As one of the best players to play for both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, there was never any doubt about his talent. But by retiring at the tender age of 29, the once-promising youngster managed to rack up just seven senior England caps before his adieu and managed to win the Premier League with the Gunners back in 2003/04.

Now running a company in Marbella, which consists of looking after a series of bars and restaurants, who knows what the midfielder could’ve achieved if he hadn’t prematurely hung up his boots. Bentley has become increasingly involved in football media in recent months and was busy on TikTok during the 2026 World Cup.

Gareth Barry sat deep in midfield and made 653 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, and West Brom, and earned 53 England caps over a 22-year professional career. Barry joined 12th-tier side Hurstpierpoint in 2024 to play village football in Mid-Sussex, but the 45-year-old did not return for the 2025-26 season.

Completing a midfield four that demands nostalgia is Jermaine Jenas. After appearing over 100 times for both Newcastle and Tottenham, he retired in 2014. He then started an even more successful career in the media, where he became the BBC One Show host and was considered the natural heir to Gary Lineker's Match of the Day role.

But after inappropriate messages to two female colleagues in 2024, he was relieved of his duties, though he is trying to work his way back onto the scene.

Attack

Michael Owen & Alan Smith

Michael Owen was the biggest name in England’s final B team outing. The 2001 Ballon d’Or winner was battling back from injuries while at Newcastle, but he never fully regained his former brilliance. Once among England’s greatest forwards, his career fizzled out, and he is constantly reminded of how unwelcomed he is at Anfield after stints at Real Madrid and Manchester United, though he has found success as a pundit on TNT Sports covering Champions League football.

Alan Smith suffered a similar fate. A horrific leg break at Anfield in 2006 left him with ten pins in his leg, and he still experiences pain from that injury today. His best years came at Leeds United, where he netted 54 goals in 225 appearances and earned 19 England caps. Now 45, he moved to Florida in 2020 to coach young players and serves as Academy Director at XL Soccer Academy in Orlando. Speaking about his role, he said: "The goal of The XL Academy is to produce National Team players while giving every student the opportunity to perform to their greatest potential on the field and in the classroom."

Substitutes

Phil Jagielka, Joleon Lescott, Jermain Defoe, Steven Taylor, Stewart Downing, David Nugent, Kieron Dyer, Rob Green

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The England B team certainly didn't lack depth, either. The most notable substitute at the time was Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing, who scored twice to restore the Three Lions' lead and then double it. He went on to make 35 senior appearances for England, having stints with the likes of Liverpool, Aston Villa, and West Ham.

Jermain Defoe certainly had a better time in front of goal for the rest of his career, who remains 10th on the list of top goalscorers in Premier League history with 162 strikes. The former Tottenham striker recently had a brief spell as manager of non-league Woking. Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott both went on to secure English top-flight mainstay status and became household names for fans of Everton, Sheffield United, Aston Villa, and Manchester City. They both work as pundits these days.

The latter has also tried his hand at DJing, and earned himself a festival debut last summer before then joining a Wythenshawe Veterans side boasting a host of ex-Premier League stars. This all comes after Lescott also served as a coach for England during Lee Carsley's interim term, meaning his options are endless.

Jagielka is now in the golf world, co-founding a golf-themed social media brand called Flagz Golf with fellow footballer Steven Fletcher. Steven Taylor, meanwhile, only ever made one appearance for the forgotten England B team, while David Nugent was an unused substitute on the day, before then going on to be inducted into the England senior team's one-cap wonder club later in his nondescript career.

Kieron Dyer would achieve an impressive 33 caps, while Rob Green will forever be haunted by his mistake against the USA in the 2010 World Cup - an error-laden venture that effectively ended his international career.