The England skipper admits failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals was an even bigger disappointment than his Champions League final penalty agony.

Terry and his team-mates can make amends via victory over Croatia at Wembley tomorrow night which will clinch their spot in South Africa next summer.

Terry was inconsolable after missing the crucial spot-kick which would have enabled Chelsea to overcome Manchester United in the 2008 Champions League final shoot-out in Moscow.

But the despair of six months earlier, when England were beaten 3-2 by Croatia in the deciding Euro qualifier at Wembley, hurts even more for Terry.

Terry, who was forced to miss that game through injury, said: "I've had a lot of downs in my career, obviously the Champions League final which at club level was the biggest disappointment of my career.

"But not to qualify with England is by far the biggest for me. the fact our team was not going through to the finals when on paper we should have.

"Also, when you're captain of the national side, you carry the weight of everyone on your own shoulders. I took it very personally that we didn't qualify.

"I've now been given a very good chance to put things right. It has been a painful wait, a long couple of years."

Terry added: "When the group was first announced, and the fixtures came out, everyone looked at this fixture with Croatia as the key one. No-one knew the position we'd be in but we're holding all the aces right now in the group.

"It's now down to us to finish it off. We don't want to get into that revenge thing. No-one's speaking about revenge but I'm sure, if you speak to every single player, that memory is still with us.

"We'll never forget that. I was there in the stands. It was probably worse sitting there knowing I couldn't do anything about it.

"I'd just come back from a knee op and had missed out by about a week from being fit. There was this thought 'should I give it a go anyway' but you can't go out there at 50 per cent at this level."

Terry concedes that the over-riding emotion will be relief if Fabio Capello's side triumph tomorrow evening.

He said: "It's not a chance for us to celebrate but it's a chance for us to be happy about how far we've come.

"There was a big celebration on the pitch when we drew with Turkey away a few years back but it will be relief more than anything if we manage to qualify tomorrow.

"If we do manage to do it, the fans are going to be in great spirits. Sometimes emotions can run away with you. No one knows how they will react.

"Hopefully, if we do win and put ourselves through, everyone will be happy but it will be relief."

Terry will have no sympathy if the likes of Franck Ribery, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi fail to qualify for the 2010 finals with France, Portugal and Argentina respectively.

He said: "Will big names missing cheapen the tournament? Not at all. When we didn't qualify, speaking to the Portuguese lads they didn't give a damn that we weren't there.

"When it came down to it, they didn't care. They really didn't. Portugal and Argentina are struggling at the moment, like we were, so there might be some really big teams not at the World Cup.

"After we went out two years ago, I spoke to Bally (Michael Ballack) about it and the first thing he said was 'Germany's chances were greater because England weren't there.'

"Other countries believe that when England aren't there. We have to get there but, when we do, we can be relieved that other teams aren't there."