The rise and rise of John Terry has made him one of the dominant features of the landscape of English football. Terry has matured from a promising young player moving through the ranks at Chelsea into the country’s leading defender.

He was firmly established as Sven Goran Eriksson’s first choice central defender and now he has been made Captain of England. His role in captaining Chelsea to their first Premiership title for 50 years last season brought him universal acclaim. Terry played every game in Chelsea’s title-winning season up until the point the championship was secured. He played for England and Euro 2004 and marshalled the defence when the national team secured victories over Austria and Poland at Old Trafford that confirmed their World Cup qualification.

His performances and his fearless style also earned him the respect and admiration of his fellow professionals. They voted him the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year, the most prestigious award in the domestic game.