End of an era: Lampard-Gerrard partnership comes to a likely end in Brazil

Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard joined forces for what could be the final occasion on Tuesday in the Three Lions' scoreless draw with Costa Rica, just over 10 years after they paired up in the English midfield for the first time.

It wasn't a match that fans will remember for its flare or excitement, but it was a game that fits the theme of underachieving English teams these two have represented for a decade.

When Gerrard, 34, and Lampard, 36, came through the youth system and earned their first caps for England, they were looked upon as important midfield components capable of resurrecting a national program starved for success since its World Cup victory on home soil in 1966.

While both men are revered figures at their clubs, the same cannot be said about their international careers.

Lampard and Gerrard have come to be closely associated with England failures. The two have patrolled the midfield together for national teams that have never made it past the quarterfinal stage in both the World Cup and UEFA European Championship.

The Lampard-Gerrard debate raged among fans and pundits before every major tournament, and also when the two met in league play with their clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool. But in the end, it was a partnership that seemed promising in theory but failed to meet expectations on the pitch.

It was fitting that manager Roy Hodgson, who had opted to start Lampard as captain and leave Gerrard on the bench, ended the match with both men on the pitch for one last time.

The substitution offered an image fans will remember far longer than the actual match as Lampard handed his captain the armband.

While many English supporters are left unsatisfied with the production of the decade-long partnership between Lampard and Gerrard, the fans in attendance couldn't help but sing their praises as the minutes wound down in yet another poor performance at the international level.

If this is really the last time Gerrard and Lampard appear in a match for England, as many reports suggest, they will have finished their careers with a combined 220 caps (Lampard: 106, Gerrard: 114) between them and 50 goals.

Impressive numbers even if they've too often been associated with unimpressive results.