Joe Cole’s World Cup Shop Window

During The Three Lions‘ lacklustre run to the Quarter-Finals in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Joe Cole was arguably the sole England player to come through the competition with his reputation enhanced.

A mere four years later and the Joe Cole story has been flipped on its head.

Scoring the goal of the 2006 World Cup – a scintillating 25 yard volley against Sweden – Joe Cole‘s star shined brightest amidst a group of under-achieving, over-paid prima donnas. But things don’t always go to script in the beautiful game.

Since bursting on to the scene as a skilled and fearless dribbler with West Ham eleven years ago, Joe Cole has carried the weight and expectations of a nation who believed he could be England’s next midfield genius. While Cole can point to several Premier League and FA Cup Winners medals during his tenure at Chelsea, in his heart of hearts, he’ll agree when we say, he’s never quite fulfilled his potential.

Following his wonder goal against Sweden, Joe Cole‘s career took a downward spiral as the Chelsea midfielder spent three seasons in and out of the side; fighting off niggling injuries and never entirely trusted under Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luis Felipe Scolari or Guus Hiddink. The arrival of Carlo Ancelotti last summer filled Cole with renewed hope for regular first team football. The Italian enjoyed much success at AC Milan with central attacking midfielders in the form of Kaka and Andrea Pirlo. Joe Cole was the closest thing Chelsea had, or so we all thought.

Seeing Carlo Ancelotti continually prefer the lethargic, sporadic touches of Deco as Chelsea recorded an historic domestic double, must have had Joe Cole biting his tongue. Thrown a lifeline by Fabio Capello and included in England’s World Cup squad, Joe Cole‘s Chelsea contract expires on July 1st and there’s no more high profile a player out there who is in the shop window.

Joe Cole is England's most high profile freebie