7. Frank Lampard
It pains me to include ‘Fat Frank’, given his acrimonious exit from Upton Park to Chelsea. However, we cannot deny that he is one of the most successful West Ham internationals of his generation. Also, seeing as he made his England debut whilst playing for West Ham, he does qualify for this list.
The son of Hammers legend Frank Lampard Sr, Lampard Jr broke into to the first team in the late 1990s and helped West Ham to a 5th place finish in 1998. The central midfielder made his England debut in 1999, but it was after his move to Chelsea that he really came to the fore of the England set up.
Seen as one of the shining lights of England’s ‘golden generation’, he was a mainstay during England’s ultimately unsuccessful campaigns between 2004 and 2014. There is a feeling that Lampard never quite replicated his lethal club form for his country. Nevertheless, 29 goals in 106 caps in not a shabby return.
