TWENTY years ago today, the country, as it is now, was in the midst of celebrations marking the Queen’s Jubilee.

Then, the nation was celebrating the Diamond Jubilee over a weekend in which Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England team began their quest to win the 2002 World Cup in Japan against a Swedish side they had not defeated since 1968.

An estimated 35,000 pubs around the country had opened early for fans to watch the match kicking off at 11.30 British time.

David Beckham’s metatarsal had healed sufficiently for him to lead out England in Saitama and it was from his in-swinging corner in the 24th minute that centre back Sol Campbell thumped home a header which gave his country the lead.

Beating Swedish goalkeeper Magnus Hedman to the ball, Campbell’s goal seemed all the more gratifying as in his last World Cup finals match four years earlier, he, and the watching nation, believed he had scored a late winning goal in the tumultuous Round of 16 match against Argentina only for his header to be ruled out for a foul by Alan Shearer.

Now there was no doubt in his mind. “Yeah, I was over the moon. Previously in 1998, I’d had a goal disallowed. I came close to scoring goals on many occasions. This one was extremely sweet. I will never forget it. It was a wonderful feeling scoring for your country.”

Beyond the significance of a goal at a World Cup final, Campbell’s goal, his only one in 73 appearances over the course of his 12-year international career, was remarkably the first scored by a black man for England at a major tournament. 

Twenty-four years had passed since Viv Anderson had become the first black man to play for the senior England men’s side, playing one match at the 1980 European Championship finals.

In 1982, Kerry Davis became the first black woman to play for the England women’s team, representing them in the final of the 1984 European Championships and scoring twice at the 1987 finals.

A year earlier, John Barnes had become the first black man to play for England in a World Cup final when he came on as a late substitute as they went out of the 1986 tournament to Diego Maradona’s Argentina.

By 2002, half of the England outfield players in the starting line-up against Sweden were black or of mixed race, yet no player of colour had ever scored at the six major tournaments that the national men’s team had played since 1986.

Campbell, who three years earlier had become the first black English captain to lift a major trophy at Wembley when Tottenham Hotspur won the League Cup, and four years later became the first black Englishman to score in a Champions League final for Arsenal against Barcelona, feels undervalued for the part he has played in England’s football history.

“That’s a lot of firsts,” he tells me. “It’s not been recognised. Even in the black community, I don’t think there’s a lot of people who know. That’s quite sad.” 

Still recovering his match fitness, captain Beckham was substituted midway through the second half with the armband not passing to Campbell, England’s most experienced outfield player, but to the 22-year-old Michael Owen.

Campbell has been outspoken in his belief that he should have captained England on more occasions and tells me he was surprised to see Owen given the armband. “Nothing was said to me about that.”

Having seen Raheem Sterling captain England at Euro 2020, Campbell believes the situation over the captaincy has changed now.

“I don’t think someone of that experience would be overlooked again. I think there was a lot of media stuff going on there back then, controlling everything, controlling how we functioned. Thank God it’s changed now. Gareth Southgate passes the armband to people who deserve it.”

Despite Campbell’s goal, England would have to wait another nine years to defeat Sweden after Niclas Alexandersson equalised in the second half.

However, both European teams qualified out of the so-called “Group of Death” ahead of pre-tournament favourites.

Argentina and England would not concede another goal in their next three games with Campbell and Rio Ferdinand forming an almost impenetrable back-line.

“I think me and Rio had a wonderful partnership, we just complemented each other. We’re both London boys, he’s south-east, I’m east. It just happens sometimes, you just build up a fantastic relationship.”

With England leading their World Cup quarter-final against Brazil, it took a moment of magic from Ronaldinho to finally pierce England’s defence, with his devastating step-over creating an equaliser for Rivaldo before he scored the winner himself in the second half with what many still regard as a fluke goal from 40 yards out.

It was the first of three successive quarter-final defeats for England’s so-called “Golden Generation.”

“You need a little bit of luck” Campbell admits. “Sometimes we didn’t get that rub of the green.”

Last summer, Campbell was working for Talksport as England’s men reached their first major tournament final in 55 years.

He tells me he could not have been prouder. “I’m happy for England to do well. It was nice that we actually got to a final! Hopefully we can get there again and win one. It will be nice if we can win something.”

Campbell was not surprised by the fact that the three black players who missed penalties in the Euro 2020 final shoot-out received racist abuse, but does not feel that the problem is any worse than when he was playing.

“We didn’t have social media, that’s the reason why. I’m sure players would have had letters sent to them and to their football club which were abusive.”

He also believes racism when he was playing was also endemic in the media at the time.

“There was a certain way in which journalists would describe a black player. Commentators would describe black players as ‘strong’ or ‘a beast,’ someone with lighter skin would be said to have ‘beautiful skills’ or ‘intelligence.’ 

“A lot of commentators and writers have had to check themselves and they are now describing players of colour in a totally different way. It should have been done years ago. People are looking into it now and people are more aware.”

After managing Macclesfield Town and Southend United, Campbell has been out of the game for a year.

He reveals to me that he applied for the England u21 job last summer and continues to believe he can make a difference in management.

“Listen, I’d love to do coaching, I’m open to working abroad. I want to manage, I want to be involved in football. I’ve got too much to give.”

“I’m not saying it’s easy. Opportunities are thin on the ground. I keep on applying, hopefully one of these applications will lead to a job. At the moment, it’s very hard, it’s hard to get a job, or get an interview. I’m willing to wait. I will keep on pushing, hopefully something will happen.”