I would make myself available." On 24 May, Carragher played his first match for England in three years, a friendly against Mexico which England won 3–1. Carragher appeared in both of England's opening World Cup games, receiving a booking in each which resulted in a one-match ban. He was not selected for the knock-out stage exit at the hands of Germany, being dropped in favour of Matthew Upson. Carragher subsequently permanently retired from international football, stating that his international return had been a "one-off" due to injuries to other players. Style of play Carragher played as an attacking midfielder in his early days at Anfield and had been a striker as a child, but he soon learned the art of defending. He was able to play across the back four, often playing as a utility full back on either flank, and occasionally in the centre of midfield early in his Liverpool career but went on to spend most of his time at club and country level at centre-back. When playing at full back Carragher was sometimes labelled as a "limited defender" as he compared unfavourably with attacking full-backs due to his lack of pace or notable technical skills. However, as a centre back he came into his own, and came to be regarded as one of the best English and Premier League defenders of his generation. A strong, versatile and consistent old-fashioned centre-back, who was known in particular for his work-rate, stamina, loyalty, leadership and commitment, as well as his courageous, no-nonsense and hard-tackling playing style, Carragher was gifted with organisational ability, intelligence, concentration, and tactical awareness, which enabled him to excel at reading the game, chase down opponents, and produce last-ditch tackles. Former teammate Jamie Redknapp described him as "ultra competitive and probably the most driven footballer I have ever met". Carragher was named by Didier Drogba as the toughest opponent he had ever played against with the Ivorian describing him as an aggressive but fair defender. In addition to his defensive skills, Carragher was also known for his longevity. Media career Carragher signed a contract with Sky Sports for the 2013/14 season to appear as a pundit alongside Graeme Souness, Gary Neville and Jamie Redknapp. Carragher appeared on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports alongside Gary Neville with presenter Ed Chamberlin from 2013 to 2016. Carragher and Neville were praised for their analysis, with their former on-field rivalry