England captain Steven Gerrard has set his sights on qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and one last chance to claim international glory.
The 32-year-old is expected to take part in one final World Cup tournament for the Three Lions, should they qualify for the competition next year.
The Liverpool skipper believes that he and the rest of his generation can only be considered failures should they be unable to challenge for the biggest prize in football.
"It's a must for me to qualify from a personal, selfish point of view. An absolute must," Gerrard told The Mirror. "On one level, it's about the chance to compete against the best sides and individuals on the planet. On another, it's about having that small chance of coming back as heroes in an England shirt, which I have never experienced.
"I have dreamt about it of course. I am sure everyone has. I have got close to it. Penalty shootouts in the last eight are close but not close enough. I don't feel I have done myself justice at a World Cup. I don't think any England player of this generation can think they have. If you spoke to the squad that came back after 1990, they could be satisfied with how close they came and that they did everything they could and had no regrets.
"But I have always come out of the tournaments with England with regrets that we haven't gone to that extra stage, the last four or the last two. I take some of the responsibility for that. I have always been honest and said I am part of that squad of 23 players that comes back having underachieved. You can't hide behind anyone, you have got to take it on the chin and get on with it."
England face San Marino on Friday before travelling to Group H leaders Montenegro.
Matt Cotton
