Country: England
This is so incredible when you think of it.
First of all the formation choice playing SWP as a RWB in an era when this formation was nowhere near being as popular as it is now. Taylor and Anton Ferdinand chosen while Terry is on the bench. David Dunn being in there and Lampard wasn't even considered at all. I would say Carrick being on the bench is laughable but that ended up being reality. Combine this with the failure to qualify (I mean they should've but still) and it's quite incredible how so often football doesn't work out how you'd expect.
SWP ended up having a pretty mediocre career given all his hype, I know he won some medals and all but still. Ironically did end up starting for England in the 2010 world cup which I still find unbelievable, wasn't like he was in top form at the time. Taylor would end up having a fairly mediocre career staying at Newcastle and Anton Ferdinand's most notable moment was being racially abused by the England captain. Dunn was a mid-table player throughout his career and never got another England cap after his debut.
It is weird how Lampard was never considered at all here when he'd go on to be runner up Ballon d'Or to Ronaldinho not too long after.
My guy Carrick is still in the mud in a fantasy world.