"I will consider myself to have arrived when I have won 50 caps and have played regularly in the biggest international tournaments in world football," said the 21 year-old who has established himself as an automatic selection for both club and country.

Though England have a 100% record in each of the games in which he has played, Gerrard does not believe that his participation is so important as to determine the outcome of a game for his country.

"It's certainly not the case that, if I play, England win - we have got too many other talented players to suggest so much relies on me," he stated. "But of course it's a good record that we've won all the games in which I've played, and it's one I would like to hang on to."

Gerrard's ambition shines through in everything he does. On the pitch, he is a born winner - the archetypal player that you want to have on your side. Off the field, too, his hunger to both prove and improve himself is underlined by almost everything he says.

"I have played five games for my country and I've done alright so far, but there is still so much more to do," he explained.

"I want to improve myself in every way. Players like Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane have so much quality in so many areas of their games and it is reaching that level that I aspire to."

Gerrard's intense ambition also reveals itself in his desire to play in every game possible.

"It kills me when I miss a game for my club," he said, "and that frustration is even worse when I am not able to play in international games because they are the biggest games of all and therefore the ones that I'm most desperate to play in.

"People say: 'Gerrard's so important', but it is only in massive games like this one that you get the opportunity to really prove your worth.

Although he has not yet had a full training session with the rest of the squad, Gerrard allayed fears about his fitness for Saturday, saying: "I have felt slightly stiff over the last couple of days because I played my first 90 minutes against Bolton on Monday, so I haven't done too much in training yet. But I have no injury problems - I've just been playing it safe.

"I felt sharp and good against Bolton and I will have a full session on Thursday."

Despite his modesty, the news that Gerrard looks set to play on Saturday will be a major boost both to Sven-Goran Eriksson and the country at large. His athleticism, competitiveness, pace and skill will be great assets to an England team about to set off on their Munich mission.

Though it is a challenge the like of which Gerrard himself admits he has yet to encounter, he is confident that the Three Lions are more than up to task.

"It's probably the biggest game I will ever have played in so far in my career," he said.

"The eleven who get picked, and the subs, have to share a responsibility because a lot is expected of us. But, hopefully, we'll have the quality to come through, because I feel that we've just got that bit extra."