FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

England captain Alan Shearer, the deadliest striker of his generation and a favourite to win the Golden Boot award in the 1998 World Cup finals, is not bashful about his international ambitions.

“I want to win 100 caps and to become England’s top scorer,” says the Newcastle hitman. “By the time I hang my boots up at 35 or 36 I want to be able to look back and say I gave everything, wanted to play every game and tried my best in every game. “

Shearer’s famous powers of determination and mental strength have helped him overcome a string of career-threatening injuries and a goal drought that might have destroyed the confidence of a lesser charcter.

The ankle ligament damage which ruled him out for six months of the current season was the fourth serious injury to affect his career in the last four years.

There were fears that he may not be fit to make the finals in France or that his return to action would be too late for him to get match-fit again.

But once again, the most expensive player in British football history proved his critics wrong by returning to action ahead of schedule in January after putting himself through an exhaustive recovery programme.

The same mental resilience also helped him overcome the intense pressure created by his inexplicable failure to score for England over a 13-game, 20-month period between September 1995 and June 1996 — a drought which has restricted his overall goal tally to 16 goals in 34 games.

Since rediscovering his scoring touch with a thumping shot into the roof of the Swiss net in England’s 1-1 draw, Shearer has repaid the faith put in him with a string of commanding performances.

The 27-year-old Geordie has led from the front since being named England captain by new coach Glenn Hoddle at the start of the World Cup campaign in September.

Shearer began his career at Southampton and made his debut for England against France in 1992 before Kenny Dalglish took him to Blackburn Rovers where he scored over 30 league goals in three consecutive seasons, helping the club win its first league title for 81 years in 1995.

In July 1996 he became the world’s most expensive player at the time when he returned to his home town club of Newcastle for 15 million pounds.