The lost property office at The Grove, a five-star hotel in Hertfordshire used by the England squad in the build-up to internationals, could be the custodians of some prized possessions by the end of the week. Along with the mobile phones, flip-flops and shorts banned by Fabio Capello, the players of Chelsea and Manchester United have agreed to leave their Champions League winner’s medals at home for fear of upsetting their teammates, with any transgressors to have their loot confiscated immediately. As a fierce disciplinarian, Capello, the England manager, will no doubt approve.

Joe Cole is ready to go to war with United in Moscow on Wednesday, but has already brokered a peace treaty that will come into force when they report for international duty on Friday in preparation for the friendly internationals against the United States at Wembley on May 28 and Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain four days later. Having half-a-dozen or so England internationals playing in the Champions League final is a source of pride, but also causes certain problems.

“They know I love them, but Wednesday night will be a war,” Cole said. “But whoever wins wins, and it’s difficult. You can’t have banter about it because we meet up with England two days later. You have to be dignified in victory and defeat.

“You can’t go running round with a Champions League medal round your neck at The Grove, either. We’ve had a little word about it already. We’ve said we wouldn’t do that.”

Such taunting would be surely too much to bear for those on the losing team, particularly for those, such as Cole, who are looking forward to playing in the most important match of their career. “It will be the biggest thrill of my life to play in a Champions League final and to hopefully go and win it will be cracking,” he said. “I can’t wait. The World Cup games have been the biggest of my life so far. I spent a lot of time growing up watching World Cups and that was the reason I wanted to play football.

“But the Champions League has taken on a life of its own, everything from the special music before you go out, it’s the pinnacle. It’s next to a World Cup final.

“For the young lads to climb the top of the mountain is a tremendous achievement and something that takes the breath away. It doesn’t matter if it’s Man United or whoever. This wasn’t on the radar when I was growing up, but the more successful you are, the more greedy you get and the more you want. I really want it.”

Cole’s hunger is not in doubt. It is shown by the tireless energy that is the hallmark of his game, though his ability to make an impact at the highest level has been questioned. It says much about his consistency that the 26-year-old has been Chelsea’s busiest player this season, with 54 appearances, a far cry from his role as a perennial substitute when he first joined the club.

Cole has benefited from Avram Grant’s more relaxed style of leadership, having tired of what some have perceived as José Mourinho’s bullying tactics, but his improvement has taken place gradually over the past five years and it is shown by the calibre of midfield players to leave the club during that time. “Looking at players who have come in, the wingers like Gérémi, [Arjen] Robben, [Damien] Duff and [Jesper] Gronkjaer, they were all ahead of me at times, but I’ve carried on,” Cole said. “That’s because I’ve been out there and it’s like playing with my mates. It’s fantastic. I’ve always believed in myself, I’ve always been ready for the fight, but if my career finished at Chelsea tomorrow, I wouldn’t just want people to remember me for winning trophies. I’m always there for the fight and will give my all.”

For all his professionalism, Cole retains the youthful enthusiasm of the ten-year-old who rushed back from a cup final of his own to watch AC Milan humiliate Barcelona in the Champions League final 14 years ago. His habit of saying that he “just wants to play football” may grate during interviews, but it captures his essence and explains his popularity around the country, even with opposing fans.

“I used to play in the AC Milan shirt for my team when I was a kid,” Cole said. “The year that Milan beat Barcelona 4-0, we played our cup final that same night about 6pm. We won the final and went back with our families and watched the European Cup final.

“I supported Milan. I was only 12 nad didn’t know too much about Milan, I didn’t even know where Milan was. But they had the same kit as us so I supported them. They had great players, including Marcel [Desailly, the former Chelsea defender], and to end up playing with him was amazing.”

Cole will have further childhood memories when he comes up against Michael Carrick, also a product of the West Ham United youth academy, at the Luzhniki Stadium on Wednesday, a far cry from the days when they were relegated together at West Ham.

“He’s done fantastically this season and, apart from [Cristiano] Ronaldo, he’s been their player of the year,” Cole said. “I speak to a lot of people up there and he probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He’s a great player. But Wednesday night is Wednesday night.

“If you ask both sets of players, they’d take a scrappy 1-0, but I hope for the punters that it’s a great game, free-flowing football and a good advert for the game.

“I do get emotional before big games – you know how much it means to your family and to everyone around the club, but mainly for my family, mum and dad, brother and sister and girlfriend.”