Jermaine Defoe was impressed by a legendary England and Chelsea player during their training sessions.

Former England striker Jermain Defoe recently opened up about his experience playing alongside some of England's most talented players during his international career. Defoe, who began playing for England in 2004 and retired in 2017, had the opportunity to train with legends such as Frank Lampard, who left a lasting impression on him.

Defoe, who played for teams like Tottenham, West Ham, and Sunderland, was particularly impressed by Lampard's abilities on the field. The midfielder, who also played over 100 games for England, was not only one of the country's greatest-ever midfielders, but also a Premier League legend. With three league titles and numerous cups under his belt, Lampard remains Chelsea's all-time leading scorer.

Reflecting on Lampard's talent during an appearance on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, Defoe shared, "Frank, for me, he finished like a forward. I remember watching him in training with England and just thinking, 'wow'. I still remember how hard he worked in training and his finishing." Defoe also mentioned that Lampard's work ethic and finishing skills were on a different level.

Aside from Lampard, Defoe also paid tribute to another ex-England star who he looked up to growing up - Ian Wright. The former striker, who retired in 2022 and has since ventured into coaching and punditry, shared, "Wrighty [Ian Wright] was massive for me, he was massive. I was quite lucky actually because I grew up in the east end and watched a lot of Ian Wright."

Defoe also shared how signing for West Ham at the age of 16 was a dream come true for him, as Wright was the first person he saw when he walked through the doors. He added, "Can you imagine what that did for me at that age? I would watch not only Wrighty's goals all the time but also his positions and then practice the movements. He was massive for me."

Although Defoe may not be considered an England legend, he is still regarded as one of the best finishers in Premier League history. Now 42 years old, Defoe has scored over 150 Premier League goals, placing him 10th on the list of all-time Premier League goalscorers. Lampard, on the other hand, is sixth on the list with 177 goals, while ex-England striker Alan Shearer still holds the top spot with an impressive 260 goals.

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