Sol Campbell has questioned why he was not named in the new year’s honours list, claiming “a lot” of other sportspeople with far less impressive records were awarded an OBE, MBE or knighthood.
The former Arsenal and Tottenham defender also suggested that the sports honours committee had overlooked his achievements despite once being “pound for pound the best defender in the world”.
Writing on Twitter, Campbell, 48, said: “I’ve seen a lot of people get MBE OBE Sir’s for services to sport I will put my name down reasons why! First is the 56 games without losing is a record. Two: invincible Arsenal team 49 games without losing a record.”
In total, Campbell gave nine reasons why he should have received an honour. His third point, however, left some fans confused. He wrote: “Three: first black player to score in World Cup final for England!”
England have not played in a World Cup final since they won it in 1966 — eight years before Campbell was even born. He was probably referring to ths goal he scored against Sweden in a group game of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
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He continued: “Four: first black captain to lift a cup at Wembley. Five: first black English speaking player to score in a champions league final. Six: I played two decades and over 500 games in the premiership.”
Campbell also pointed out that he had opposed racism in football at home and abroad.
He concluded: “Eight: only English player to play in six consecutive tournaments for England.
“Nine: got into the World Cup best team 1998 and 2002 and one European team 2004 so at one stage I was pound for pound the best defender in the world — how many English men can say that?”
Among a host of footballing stars who did make the list were key figures from the England women’s European Championship finals team.
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Four Lionesses received honours, including the team’s captain, Leah Williamson, 25, who lifted the Women’s Euro trophy after a 2-1 victory over Germany at Wembley and was made an OBE.
Her teammates Lucy Bronze, 31, Beth Mead, 27, and Ellen White, 33, all became MBEs. Sarina Wiegman, their Dutch head coach, was made an honorary CBE in the Foreign Office list.
The European Championship was the first major tournament success for a senior England football team since the 1966 World Cup. There had been calls for all the England players involved to receive honours but that blanket approach is no longer favoured.
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There was controversy after all the players in the England 2005 Ashes triumph were honoured, even those who had barely contributed, and the committee also judges European success to not be as notable as a World Cup.
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Pat Jennings, 77, the former Northern Ireland, Tottenham and Arsenal goalkeeper was among a small group of male footballers that received an honour. He was appointed CBE.
Chris Kamara, 65, the former footballer, manager and Sky Sports pundit, was appointed MBE for services to football, anti-racism and charity. Andy Robertson, 28, the Scotland and Liverpool full back, also becomes an MBE for services to charity.
