LONDON (AFP) - England captain Steven Gerrard said on Wednesday that he is not worried about the prospect of a penalty shoot-out at the World Cup despite his country's terrible record at spot-kicks.

England have been eliminated on penalties at the World Cup in 1990, 1998 and 2006 and also fell in shoot-outs at the European Championship in 1996, 2004 and 2012.

Gerrard scored as England went out to Italy at Euro 2012, but saw a penalty saved in 2006 when his side were beaten by Portugal in the World Cup quarter-finals in Germany.

Penalty shoot-outs have become something of a national obsession in England, but Gerrard says that he and his team-mates cannot afford to become obsessed by them.

"I can understand the fixation because we have failed in quite a few shoot-outs, but I would say don't get carried away with it because it might never come about," he told BBC Radio 5 Live from Miami, where he is taking part in a pre-tournament training camp.

"As players, hopefully we perform well enough in 90 minutes or 120 minutes to prevent it going to a shoot-out. But we will be ready for a shoot-out if it comes around."