In the 38th minute, Michael Owen lofted a pass over the top of the Spanish defence and Barmby ran onto to finish past Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Incredibly, England’s 3-0 win against the Spanish came four years ago this month.

But Barmby still has very clear memories of it all. "I had won the League Cup on the Sunday with Liverpool against Birmingham and we went back to Merseyside that night for a celebration function.," he says.

"On the Monday, I travelled with Emile Heskey, Robbie Fowler, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen (Steve Gerrard was injured) in a minibus to join up with the other England lads.

"Obviously Sven-Goran Eriksson was a new manager so we didn’t know what to expect.

"That week was was a case of getting to know him. The first day’s training was bright and breezy as it had been under the other managers but I remember there was a lot of hype and media interest around the game because it was Sven’s first match."

Barmby did get the sense of a new era from the make-up of the squad and the team that faced Spain that night.

"There were a few new faces like Michael Ball and Gavin McCann which added to the new atmosphere," says Barmby.

"Sven stressed teamwork in the dressing-room beforehand, that we must attack and defend as a unit. He was the calm person we got to know over the years, I don’t think I ever saw him lose his temper.

"We won the match 3-0 which was a terrific win and I am sure England would settle for the same result back at Villa Park against Holland."

The versatile Barmby won several of his 23 caps on the left-hand side of midfield and doesn’t agree that it’s a position that is as much a problem as made out.

"Different players have played there over the years and I think some of the performances have been fine. Paul Scholes, Stevie G, Wayne Bridge for example," says Barmby.

"Although we haven’t had a natural left-footer who has played in every game, I don’t think it has been a disaster.

"International players have to be adaptable and it sometimes work to play slightly more narrow with players swapping positions.

"Robert Pires has been highly successful for Arsenal on the left and he is right-footed and comes inside a lot. Zinedine Zidane was good for France on the left and he was never an out-and-out winger.

"I was always happy to play wherever the England manager wanted me and I was on the left-hand side when we beat Germany 5-1."

Unfortunately, injury robbed Barmby of playing in the 2002 World Cup after he had done so much to help the team qualify for Japan.

But nobody can ever take away the fact that he got the whole Sven era started.