Notes

Injuries have on occasion played a large part in determining who came to prominence as England's captain in major tournament play.  

Kevin Keegan was manager Ron Greenwood's first choice as captain, and he would have led England throughout the 1982 World Cup finals had he been fit, but injury kept him out for all but a late substitute appearance in England's last match at that tournament.  Defender Mick Mills filled in as captain, and Keegan's international career ended on a rather sad note.  Because of England's disastrous qualification record during the 1970's, he played only three European Championship finals matches, all at the 1980 tournament, and had only 26 minutes of playing time in World Cup finals.

Bryan Robson was manager Bobby Robson's preference for the captaincy at World Cups 1986 and 1990, but injury forced his exit in the early stages of both tournaments.  In Mexico in 1986 a long-standing shoulder injury, aggravated in a warmup match against Mexico in Los Angeles, forced him from the pitch during the first half of the second group match against Morocco, and he did not play in the tournament again although he remained with the squad.  His Manchester United teammate, Ray Wilkins, took over the captain's armband in the Morocco match, but shortly drew a red card for a second cautionable offence and had to yield it to Peter Shilton, who became the third England player to wear the armband in the match.  Wilkins, suspended for the next two matches, did not return for the rest of the tournament, and it was Shilton who went on to captain England in their remarkable recovery against Poland and Paraguay and their loss to Argentina in one of the most controversial matches in World Cup history.

Injury again forced Robson's withdrawal in the second group match at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.  After playing the full 90 minutes in the first match against Ireland,  Robson, already playing with a pain-killing injection for an injured toe, strained his Achilles tendon and had to be taken off after 65 minutes of the second match against Netherlands.  He had to sit out the third match against Egypt, and, despite the efforts of a faith healer he had flown out to treat him, he then flew home for surgery.  Peter Shilton and Terry Butcher both filled in as captain.  Shilton was captain for two matches in which Butcher did not play, the third group match against Egypt and the third-place match against Italy at the end of the tournament.  Butcher took over the captaincy in the big matches against Belgium, Cameroon and Germany.

Rio Ferdinand was set to lead England into the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa, before a freak training ground accident sent him home packing.  It was down to Steven Gerrard to lead the Three Lions.

Outside these four tournaments, however, England's chosen captains have remained injury free in World Cup and European Championship final tournament play.