England manager Fabio Capello has named his squad for the World Cup finals, with Theo Walcott’s omission the major talking-point.
Walcott travelled to the World Cup in Germany as a 17-year-old but, despite scoring a hat-trick against Croatia in qualifying, finds himself squeezed out of the squad this time round.
The other players who made Capello’s original 30-man squad but have failed to make the cut for the final 23 are Tottenham pair Michael Dawson and Tom Huddlestone, Everton left back Leighton Baines, Manchester City winger Adam Johnson, West Ham midfielder Scott Parker and Sunderland striker Darren Bent.
Among those who have squeezed in are Chelsea’s Joe Cole, who has endured an injury-interrupted season, Manchester Citys Shaun Wright-Phillips and Aston Villa full back Stephen Warnock, who won his only England cap two years ago.
The England World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham United).
Defenders: Jamie Carragher, Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ashley Cole, John Terry (both Chelsea), Ledley King (Tottenham), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Matthew Upson (West Ham United), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).
Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Frank Lampard, Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa).
Forwards: Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).
Â
