Roy Hodgson will hand the captain's armband to James Milner for the first time when England take on Netherlands at Wembley on Tuesday.
Hodgson revealed changes to his line-up would be limited and not wholesale as he had hinted prior to Saturday night's 3-2 win in Germany, but confirmed Milner, 30, will be one of them and suggested fellow midfielder Danny Drinkwater might make his debut.
Liverpool midfielder Milner will lead his country in his 58th appearance for England and Hodgson said he is the right fit for the current side.
"As far as I'm concerned, we've always known that James is a very good midfield player in central areas, capable of playing wide but also central areas,'' Hodgson told a news conference.
"The way we're trying to play at the moment and the way that Liverpool play, that's right up his street. That's the type of football he plays and it's great he's got the opportunity tomorrow to play in a position he's very comfortable in -- but also to do it as captain of his country.''
Milner had said on Sunday he would talk to Hodgson after the European Championship and would consider walking away from the international scene were he to be relegated to the role as a bit-part player.
But after his appointment on Monday, Milner said he believes captaining is something he will never forget.
Asked what it would mean to him to lead out the Three Lions, Milner said: "Everything. Obviously growing up you are desperate to pull on that England shirt and you are scoring goals for England at Wembley in your back garden and the chance to lead out your country is a massive honour and something you never forget."
Milner made his debut against Netherlands almost seven years ago and is the only member of the current squad surviving from that 2-2 draw in Amsterdam.
He is now considered an elder statesmen on the international scene and is ready to help through the next batch of young players, having watched from the bench as they stormed back from two goals down to win in Berlin.
When asked if he saw his role as a wise, old head Milner replied: "Yes, unfortunately!"
"I'm at that stage now and it is important we set those examples, the like of me, Gaz [Cahill], Harty [Joe Hart], Wayne [Rooney] and Jags [Phil Jagielka] -- when you see how much quality there is coming through, it is important we help them along as much as we can.
"It is a big step up playing for England an all that comes with it, the better environment we can make for those guys the easier it will be for them to pull on the England shirt and perform at this level."
As for a possible debut for Drinkwater, Hodgson said: "He might make his debut, yes.''
"I hinted a lot of things and sometimes I regret some of the hints I put out there," Hodgson added about the expected changes. "There will be some changes, how wholesale those will be you'll have to wait and see."
Hodgson also paid tribute to goalkeeper Jack Butland, whose season is over after fracturing his ankle against Germany.
"Many people were saying it's going to be a really good fight between him and Joe [Hart] for the first-team shirt," he said. "To suddenly get your chance against Germany and then to fracture your ankle in that way, it's a devastating blow.
"I think all of us feel enormous sympathy for him, empathy as well of course, because a lot of players have suffered injury in their career and know what it's like.
"But he was very strong about it all, he was very stoic and said to me, 'I'll come back stronger and this won't affect my career in any way,' and that was good to hear. Our best wishes are with him and we're all going to miss him because we were hoping he'd be a part of it.''