'I'm the only Englishman to play in a Champions League final and not be called up to the national team': Former Liverpool star 'frustrated' at not getting England cap

The Liverpool football team prior to the UEFA Champions League Final match between Liverpool and AC Milan at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece on May 23, 2007. AC Milan won 2-1. Left to right, back row: Pepe Reina, Dirk Kuyt, Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger, Jamie Carragher and Javier Mascherano; front row: Steve Finnan, Boudewijn Zenden, Steven Gerrard, John Arne Riise and Jermaine Pennant. (Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Since the rebrand of the Champions League in 1992, 42 English players have featured in a final for a number of different teams, but only one never had the opportunity to play internationally for England: Jermaine Pennant. 

Despite making 24 appearances in total for the England U21 team as a youngster still at Arsenal, the right-winger never managed to get a call-up for the senior side - not even after he had been named Man of the Match in the 2007 Champions League final.

While Liverpool lost that game 2-1 to AC Milan, Pennant impressed with his constant dribbling at left-back Marek Jankulovski all game, and he even lay on the assist for Dirk Kuyt's 89th-minute goal. 

Jermaine Pennant of England battles with Antoni Lukasiewicz of Poland during the U21 European Championship Qualifier match between Poland U21 and England U21 at the Mosir Stadium on September 7, 2004 in Rybniku, Poland. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Pennant played 24 times for England U21s, but never for the senior side (Image credit: Getty Images)

Still only 24 at the time, Pennant certainly believed he deserved to represent England, though recognises other matters were called into question. 

"Looking back, I would say it was frustrating," Pennant admits to FourFourTwo on behalf of Bettingsites.co.uk. "Especially when I'm getting the Man of the Match award in a Champions League final.

"That whole first season at Liverpool was a highlight for me, ending with a European final. But, when you look at the history of it, I'm the only Englishman to play in a Champions League final and not be called up to the national team, or play in the national team, or get a cap. 

"It was frustrating. It was never down to my ability. It probably had more to do with things that were going on off the pitch."

Jermaine Pennant of Liverpool shoots past the outstretched Paolo Maldini of Milan during the UEFA Champions League Final match between Liverpool and AC Milan at the Olympic Stadium on May 23, 2007 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Pennant impressed in the Champions League final against AC Milan (Image credit: Getty Images)

Instead, players such as Shaun Wright-Phillips, Aaron Lennon and David Bentley were selected ahead of Pennant, who unfortunately has to settle for the unwanted aforementioned statistic of being the only Englishman to have played in a Champions League final but not for his country. 

Following his snub from the national team, off-field issues and a loss of form eventually saw Pennant spend the second half of the 2008/09 season on-loan at Portsmouth

While he eventually got back to his best at Stoke, reaching the FA Cup final and impressing under Tony Pulis, an England call-up still never materialised. 

Jermaine Pennant was speaking to FourFourTwo on behalf of Bettingsites.co.uk.

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Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.