I agree to an extent. It's a shame that generation is considered a bit of a punchline because of the golden generation tag, but they were unfortuante in 2002 to draw Brazil in the quarters (after beating eventual runner-ups Germany 5-1 away in the qualifiers). In 1990 it was Cameroon in the QF, in 2018 a Swedish team that's probably the most average side I've seen in a World Cup QF, wheras in '02 they drew Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronalindinho, Cafu and Roberto Carlos in searing afternoon heat of Japan.
Argentina were pre-tournament favourites and England outplayed them for large parts, with Scholes controlling the game (until the final 20 mins or so when they were hanging on, which was typical of England at the time). While I'm not sure they would've beaten Brazil, that QF was still only won by that preventable Ronaldinho free kick (plus the first goal was given away a little cheaply), and I consider that team very very unlucky not to be finalists, if perhaps not one of the best teams never to win the tournament. Italia '90 was before my time, so that 2002 team will always be my personal near miss for England. I think they're at least equal to the 1990 and 2018 squads man for man, and surely had the wrong man leading them. It's also a little bit of a shame Shearer was in international retirement.