Having represented his country as a player, captain and manager, Stuart Pearce's passion for England can never be questioned. Psycho talks us through his highs and lows for the Three Lions, including that penalty...
From taking on Gullit to battling with Brazil and playing with Gazza, CLICK HERE to read our exclusive interview with Pearce
"Football is a simple game," former England striker Gary Lineker once said. "You play for 120 minutes and then the Germans win on penalties."
Lineker's line is an often-recited joke among English fans and one which Stuart Pearce knows only too well.
The ex-left-back, notoriously given the 'Psycho' nickname, is about as patriotic as they come having represented his country as a player, captain and manager.
Pearce has always been fully committed but his high skill on the field also meant he helped England to their most successful days since winning the World Cup in 1966.
England's semi-final appearances at the 1990 World Cup and the 1996 European Championship are etched on the memories of fans and they were achieved by teams containing Pearce.
Of course, as Lineker kidded, both Italia '90 and Euro '96 ended in painful defeats on penalties and on both occasions it was German opposition who inflicted the heartbreak.
Few people need reminding that Pearce famously failed with a spot-kick in the 1990 loss and, although he scored in the shootout six years later as England were again ultimately eliminated, it remains a sorry memory.
However, before he returns to management with former club Nottingham Forest, Pearce's achievements should not be overlooked as Sky Sports discovered when we caught up with the proud Englishman.
Finest Hour - Captaining England
"I did many things in regards to the team with England but captaining your country always stands out as the biggest, because of what it means to play for England and then to be captain on top of that. Also, the three tournaments in which I played [including the 1992 European Championship], in two of those we got to the semi-finals and lost on penalties. Apart from England winning the World Cup in 1966, those semi-finals are the furthest England have gone and I am proud of that achievement."
Favourite Game - England 4 Holland 1, Euro '96
"It was by far the best performance England produced in my time. You could probably even look at the last 30 years and say that performance and the 5-1 victory away in Germany in 2001 [after Pearce had retired] were the standout performances. The performance against the Dutch at Wembley was outstanding. The semi-final games we had against Germany that I played in were also outstanding and both games went to extra-time and penalties; it was fantastic entertainment. The quarter-final game against Cameroon in 1990 when we won a bit dramatically was also a top game."
Toughest Opponent - Ruud Gullit
"He was a hard customer with Holland. A lot of the time in those days, opposition teams in international football did not have out-and-out wingers - so I was only up against wing-backs and that made my job that little bit easier. You can also not underestimate the physicality of the Brazilians in that era. I played against Brazil on five occasions and, while they have a reputation for being outstanding on the ball, there were certainly individuals in their ranks who could, let's say, fight their corner!"
Football Hero - Gordon Banks
"I wanted to be a goalkeeper when I was a kid. I stopped being a goalkeeper, because I got frustrated that the players in front of me kept letting the ball come through to me so I started playing outfield! I was a forward but then still got frustrated, so became a central defender at school. My second hero was David Webb, the Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers central defender, because I was a QPR supporter when I was a kid."
Most Talented Team-Mate - Paul Gascoigne
"It is a difficult one but for out-and-out talent it was Paul Gascoigne. He played 58 games for England and was only on the losing side on four occasions; that probably tells you everything. I do not think there has ever been anyone with his talent. Gazza was a big part of getting to those two semi-finals in which I played."
Football Heartbreak - Italia '90
"Losing to Germany on penalties in the semi-finals was crushing. You could not possibly paint a worse picture after getting to the semi-finals in your first major tournament with your country, knowing that if you beat Germany you would probably beat Argentina in the final and win the World Cup. Plus, missing a penalty after two hours of football and then getting beaten; paint a worse scenario and you are probably on the gallows!"
Stuart Pearce is backing England to Win the World Cup at 33/1 with Ladbrokes
