SAINTS legend called receiving his England legacy cap at St Mary’s a “special moment,” insisting he’d never have become an international without the club

Rickie Lambert was honoured by CEO Phil Parsons with a red velvet cap to commemorate him becoming England’s 1,195th international, ahead of the Saints Legends clash with Manchester United on Saturday.
The former Southampton FC striker earned his England national football team debut in 2013 against Scotland, memorably scoring with his first touch, and went on to make 11 appearances for his country.
Lambert admitted the presentation at St Mary’s caught him completely by surprise and proved to be an emotional moment, especially with his parents and son watching from the stands. He credited Southampton as the club that made his England dream possible, insisting he owes his career to them.
He capped off the occasion by finding the net for the Saints Legends in front of the Northam End, equalising in a match that eventually ended 5-3 in favour of Manchester United.
Determined to make amends after missing a penalty in the previous year’s fixture against Russell Martin’s side, the 44-year-old was pleased to get on the scoresheet despite struggling physically during the game.
Lambert joked that although he thought he still had it mentally, his body didn’t quite agree, admitting he felt exhausted and sluggish throughout. Still, he thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially sharing the pitch with former teammates Lee Barnard, Jos Hooiveld, and Tommy Forecast, while also hoping the event raised valuable funds for charity.