Lampard - Terry's the right leader

England manager Fabio Capello has yet to decide who will be his permanent captain - Terry was injured for his first match in charge and Steven Gerrard had the armband - but for Lampard there is only one contender.

Lampard, speaking at a www.sponsoredbyyou.com school visit organised by England team sponsors Nationwide Building Society, said: "John Terry, on and off the pitch, is a monster of a captain. On the pitch he plays with the attitude you want your captain to have and he talks to people around him. Off the pitch he gets people together and he's a big personality in the dressing room. So I can only give him a huge reference."

Lampard continued: "It's one person's decision as to who is made captain and it would be wrong for me to comment on it because the manager will pick the right man.

"But what I can do is talk about John Terry and say he's the best captain I've worked with - and I've played under Marcel Desailly, who was unbelievable.

"There are other candidates of course, we have outstanding players in our team and people who can be leaders. But for me, from working regularly with John, I think he's outstanding."

Lampard also missed the win over Switzerland due to injury but knows there are no guarantees for even England's biggest names now that Capello is in charge.

"That's the way it should be," insisted Lampard. "Whatever your name may be it's about how you are playing at the time and what you can give the team."