Alan Shearer has offered rare insight into his strained relationship with Roy Keane, revealing that fellow pundits Ian Wright and Micah Richards have been making considerable efforts to persuade him to see a softer side of the Irishman. Despite their shared history as Premier League icons, the tension that defined their playing days appears to have endured long after both hung up their boots.

The long-standing rivalry between the two football greats shows no sign of easing. Speaking at a Q&A event alongside Dion Dublin in New York, the former England captain confirmed that his competitive animosity with the fiery ex-Manchester United skipper remains very much alive.

Shearer did not mince words when addressing their dynamic, attributing their mutual dislike to sheer competitiveness. He told the audience: “Keane and I have never had the best relationship. I don’t know him. But what I would say is two of my best pals in football, Micah Richards and Ian Wright, both tell me he’s a great guy. I just went head-to-head with him on a pitch. He didn’t like me; I didn’t like him. But I don’t mind that. You’re not meant to like your opponents. You’re meant to go up against each other.”

Behind the scenes, it appears peace talks have been quietly ongoing. Wright, who works alongside Keane for ITV, and Richards, who shares the BBC studio with Shearer, both count Keane as a close friend. According to Shearer, his co-pundits have repeatedly tried to convince him that Keane’s fiery on-screen persona does not reflect his off-camera character.

The situation is further intensified by the fact that Keane and Shearer are representing rival broadcasters during World Cup coverage, adding another layer to their professional competition.

Interestingly, the two might have shared a dressing room had fate played out differently. In 1996, Shearer was on the brink of joining Manchester United from Blackburn Rovers—a move that would have seen him line up alongside Keane. The transfer was so close that the England striker had even identified a home in the Manchester area before a dramatic twist changed everything.

Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan famously intercepted at Manchester Airport, persuading Shearer to return to his hometown club for a then-world-record fee of £15 million. That decision not only made Shearer a hero in the North East but also ensured that his interactions with Keane would remain on opposite sides of the pitch, fuelling one of English football’s most enduring rivalries.

Moving beyond personal history, Shearer also shared his perspective on England’s World Cup prospects. Reflecting on the current squad’s attacking depth compared to his own playing era—which featured forwards like Teddy Sheringham and Robbie Fowler—he questioned whether Gareth Southgate’s side have the strength to end England’s six-decade wait for a major trophy.

Shearer highlighted the heavy dependence on captain Harry Kane, saying: “We’ve got Harry [Kane], Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney, which isn’t a great pool of centre forwards. I doubt our squad depth is enough to win the World Cup, though we can go deep if Harry plays unbelievably well and scores – he is our superstar. It’s not rocket science: if he doesn’t score, it could be a really disappointing tournament. I’d love it to be England, but I don’t think we have quite enough, and I think France will win the final.”

England’s World Cup campaign begins with a challenging opener against a resilient Croatia side in Dallas, followed by matches against Ghana and Panama in the group stage as they aim to bring football’s most coveted trophy home after 60 years.