Nearly two years to the day that John Terry was last stripped of the England captaincy, the Chelsea centre-back has once again lost the armband in the run up to a major tournament.
The FA's decision to remove the 31-year-old from the role comes after his trial for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand was set for July 9 - after the completion of Euro 2012.
While Anton's brother, Rio, was selected as his successor before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Manchester United defender has ruled out taking up the position again.
That opens up a whole host of candidates to lead England in Poland and Ukraine this summer, so here Sportsmail assesses the potential options.
Off you go: John Terry (right) has been stripped of the England captaincy, while Rio Ferdinand has ruled out replacing himJoeHart
England’s undisputed No. 1 keeper and one of the first names on Capello’s team sheet.
The Manchester City stopper has displayed confidence and maturity beyond his 24 years and is set to be a fixture in the international set-up for many years to come.
But with just 16 caps he is still inexperienced, having not played in a major tournament, and can be prone to a few errors which will only be magnified should he take the armband.
With such little options regarding back-up, the last thing England need is another goalkeeper’s reputation becoming shattered.
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Ever since making his debut in 2003, Parker has been bubbling under the surface of a midfield dominated by Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
Only since the dismal World Cup in South Africa has the Tottenham midfielder staked a regular first-team spot in the midfield, where he impressed on a regular basis in qualification for Euro 2012.
Experience goes against him regarding his 10 caps, but at 31-years-old he possesses the maturity, composure and leadership required.
He can look quiet vocally on the pitch, but former West Ham team-mate Carlton Cole noted last season how an 'inspirational' half-time team-talk from Parker helped the Hammers come back from 3-0 down to secure a draw against West Brom.
Tough tackler: Scott Parker's (left) midfield presence could give him the nodteven Gerrard
A stand-out candidate having led England to the last World Cup – but it’s that fact that could also work against the Liverpool midfielder.
Given the circus that surrounded England in South Africa, it would be harsh to pin the blame entirely on the 31-year-old who has proven many times for the Reds he is capable of leading a side on the big stage.
Capello may opt to avoid any similarities with the previous tournament though, and given his recent injury record is not as certain as he would have been two years ago to take the armband.
Having established a midfield partnership with Parker at the expense of Lampard, Barry is a dark horse for the captaincy having racked up 51 games for the Three Lions.
The Manchester City midfielder is having a solid season and has become a reliable performer under Capello – despite being given the run-around by Germany at the last World Cup.
The 30-year-old has previously captained Aston Villa, and led out England out in a 1-1 draw against Ghana at Wembley last year. A safe pair of hands should he be given the job.
Ashley Cole
If you take a leaf out of Spain's book, the current world and European champions, the captaincy could be given to the player with the most caps.
In the England squad that would fall for Cole, who has 93 games for the Three Lions, under his belt.
His selection for the armband though would be controversial among many in the game given his perceived negative public image.
But the Chelsea full-back is no doubt one of the finest players available and is a sure starter at Euro 2012 – a highly unlikely candidate though.
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England’s last three major tournaments have been dominated by the Manchester United striker’s presence which has shown his very best and worst qualities.
Selecting a captain who is banned for the first two games after a petulant kick in qualifying is hardly a strong example to set, and it shows that the 26-year-old still has plenty of maturing to do.
But as an on-pitch talisman he is England’s key man. If he can produce the kind of performances that took Euro 2004 by storm then there is a strong argument to hand him the responsibility.
It could even help him avoid such incidents seen against Montenegro last year and his red card for stamping at the 2006 World Cup. The captaincy helped David Beckham grow into a leader after all.
However would Capello change his skipper should England get off to a winning start, and would there be much point if the Three Lions are out by the time he returns?
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