Jarrod Bowen's World Cup memories

The man from ‘a little town and a million miles away from anything’, Jarrod Bowen was cheering on England even as a child, before it crossed his mind that he might one day represent the Three Lions.

“I had an old England top with number seven on the back,” he said. “I think I actually had Beckham on the back, funnily enough, and when I got my first call up, that was the picture that was used – the picture of me in that old England top.

“My mum has probably still got it somewhere tucked away!”

Growing up as a Manchester United fan, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham – who scored a dramatic, last-gasp equaliser against Greece at Old Trafford to book England’s place at the 2002 FIFA World Cup – were among the players he associates with England and major tournaments.

“Those would be my two because I always loved them growing up,” he noted.

“Rooney was playing in the street at such a young age and to step onto the scene like he did and the performances, I think he was he was bullish in the way that he played; robust but so much technical quality. Beckham was the same. He was an icon up for me.

“I watched England when I was young on the telly. I always remember the goal at Old Trafford against Greece to qualify for the World Cup. That's a moment in itself, where you look at that and you look up to that.”

Fast forward to the 2006 edition of the tournament, staged in Germany, when Joe Cole’s spectacular strike against Sweden – a 35-yard volley – helped England to top Group B and advance to the knockouts.

“My dad was actually out there and watching that game live,” explained Bowen. “I've would’ve been about ten years old. I remember the Joe Cole one was an incredible volley.”

Four years on at the next World Cup, he celebrated Frank Lampard’s ‘ghost goal’ against Germany. The famous goal that never was – which would’ve levelled proceedings – crossed the line before bouncing out.

“It was probably not one that wants to be remembered, when Lampard scored and the goal never got given,” he recalled. “I remember watching it because I was with my friends.

“It was to go 2-2 in the game and I remember we ran out of the house celebrating because we thought it was a goal and we came back and it wasn't a goal!”

Bowen – who was in attendance as the Three Lions reached the quarter-final of EURO 2020, beating Germany – also followed the progress of Gareth Southgate’s side in 2018 and 2022.

“It was the round of 16 but I went to that game as a fan and I loved it,” he added.

“The one World Cup and probably my best memory and best moment in terms of a game and celebrating was Tripps’ free-kick against Croatia.

“I remember watching that and that was a moment where I thought, ‘oh, we're going to win here’. But in terms of a moment, when you're supporting England and being a fan, that Trippier free-kick was pretty special.

“The most recent World Cup just gone too [in Qatar]. I remember that because we had a good run into that and getting to the quarter-final. As a fan watching it, it was a bit different because it was in the middle of the season. It wasn't like a traditional World Cup.”

And his own tournament debut came against Serbia in England’s EURO 2024 opener, coming on as a second-half substitute.

“Where I’m from, it's a small town and never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be playing professionally, let alone representing my country,” he said.

“It is a ‘pinch me’ moment sometimes when you get the opportunity to play for your country. It’s the biggest honour I think anyone can ever be given in in their career. Not in my wildest dreams did I think I’d ever do it.

“The World Cup is the pinnacle. I was lucky enough to play in the EUROs and be part of the team that nearly went all the way. The whole experience of my first major tournament was an incredible one and the World Cup, again, would be another level up.”