Cole was only 21 when he travelled to Japan and South Korea with Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England squad. The experience placed him alongside established stars and convinced him he belonged at the highest level.
The defender went on to win 107 England caps, but he remembers 2002 as the moment his international career truly accelerated. He felt he had performed well, while also recognising that playing among elite names revealed another level he could pursue.
That mixture of confidence and unfinished ambition remains central to his reflections. England had talent, but their run ended before the biggest stage could become a realistic destination.
The quarter-final defeat to Brazil remains inseparable from Ronaldinho’s famous free-kick, which caught out David Seaman. Debate has continued over whether the Brazilian intended to shoot or cross, but Cole believes only a player of exceptional quality could produce such a moment.
“If he did, that just sums him up,” Cole said. “He was a genius and to put it where he put it at that moment in the game... I do not know, only he knows the truth.”
Before that disappointment, England had beaten Argentina in the group stage, with David Beckham scoring from the penalty spot. The result carried extra emotion after the controversy surrounding the two nations at France 98.
Cole also recalled discussions about swapping shirts after the match and believes he left with Ariel Ortega’s jersey. It was a personal memento from a tournament that gave him belief, even if it ultimately left England short of a final.
Cole’s story remains relevant whenever England enter another major tournament: confidence can be built early, but the final step is the one that defines a generation.