Steven Gerrard will skipper England at Euro 2012 just three months after fearing he would never lead his country again after being overlooked for the role by caretaker boss Stuart Pearce.

Pearce preferred to give the armband to Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker rather than the far more experienced Gerrard for the friendly international with Holland at Wembley.

Leading role: Roy Hodgson (left) trusts Steven Gerrard (right) with the captaincy

But the arrival as new England head coach of Gerrard's former Liverpool boss, Roy Hodgson, has seen him made permanent captain for the first time and he will the side against Norway on Saturday.

Gerrard said: 'I was disappointed not to skipper against Holland. Stuart Pearce said I wasn't going to be captain. I said: "Okay", but I was disappointed.

'It's not easy when you're told you're not going to be captain.

'He just said he wanted to go with someone else, Scott Parker. Scott's a great player who's done a great job, so I accepted him and the first thing I did was go to him and congratulate him.

'But I thought that was it with the captaincy after that. At the time, I thought maybe Stuart Pearce might be the manager at the Euros so I wouldn't be the captain.

'That's why it was so nice and I enjoyed the phone call I got off Roy Hodgson.'

Gerrard has often been overlooked for the top job - usually at the expense of Rio Ferdinand or John Terry.

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