Chesterfield coach Kieron Dyer was presented with his England legacy cap at Wembley Stadium ahead of the recent international friendly between England and Wales.
In March, the FA announced plans to issue legacy caps to every player who has represented the country since the first international fixture against Scotland in 1872.
The former midfielder won 33 caps for the Three Lions between 1999 and 2007 – including being part of three major tournaments.
Speaking exclusively to 1866 Sport, Dyer said: “Obviously it’s the pinnacle to play for your country. I’ve got my individual caps. I was lucky enough to play for the country 33 times.
“It was interesting to find out what my legacy number was. I was number 1,096. It’s a red cap; it’s got the number on – it was a nice touch.
“I got invited to Wembley, a guest in the Royal Box, and there were probably about ten other players, that got their legacy caps on the night as well.”
He was honoured alongside fellow former internationals such as Peter Shilton, who holds the record for the most caps won for England.
“It was just a great evening. England put on a fine performance. It was great to catch up with so many of the greats that have played for England, obviously Peter Shilton, Tom Cleverley, John Gregory, Stuart Ripley.
“It’s been well-documented that one of my good friends is Craig Bellamy. He is the Wales manager, so I got to see his team get flattened a bit so I could rib him after the game!” Dyer joked.
England can qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup tonight with a victory in Riga against Latvia.
The former Newcastle United and Ipswich Town star believes that Thomas Tuchel’s side could be on for great things.
“What I saw on the pitch was pace and power, technical ability,” he said. “We’ve got a really good coach who had them really well organised.
“I always say you need a bit of luck in tournaments, but we’re definitely one of the favourites without a shadow of a doubt. So, the future is bright.”
Listen to an interview with Kieron as part of the matchday coverage on Saturday on 1866 Sport.
