The England squad for this summer's World Cup in Brazil contained few surprises when it was announced this afternoon.
Manager Roy Hodgson's only tight call was revealed yesterday when Chelsea's Ashley Cole announced he was retiring from international football, signalling that he had been overlooked for the World Cup.
Hodgson has named Southampton's 18-year-old rising star Luke Shaw as back-up to first-choice left back Leighton Baines.
Celtic's Fraser Forster got the nod over John Ruddy of Norwich for the third goalkeeping spot while former Bristol Rovers striker Ricky Lambert is also on the plane.
Merseyside youngsters Everton's Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling from Liverpool make the trip to Brazil as Hodgson opted for just four recognised strikers.
Lambert, who has scored 14 goals this season, got the nod ahead of West Ham's Andy Carroll.
Former Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe, who now plays for Toronto FC, only made it onto the standby list.
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick rejected the chance to be on the standby list for Euro 2012, but he has accepted the same position this time around.
He is joined by teammate Tom Cleverley, who has not made the 23 despite starting nine consecutive games under Hodgson at the start of the 2012-13 season.
Frank Lampard, 35, makes the cut, but otherwise there is a youthful look about England's midfield selection.
Barkley, 20, has been selected, alongside Liverpool teenager Sterling, while Arsenal duo Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere are in the 23 despite their recent injury concerns.
Adam Lallana, who has three caps, has been rewarded for a fine year with Southampton by being included.
James Milner also is favoured ahead of the likes of Adam Johnson and Ashley Young – neither of whom made the squad or standby list.
There was a place on the standby list for Everton teenager John Stones, who only made his first Premier League start in January, and uncapped Liverpool right-back Jon Flanagan.
Hodgson admitted the decision to leave out Cole was ``an unbelievably hard'' call.
"Ashley is a player that I and the rest of my staff appreciate," he said.
"He is a magnificent player and what he's done for England is second to none. Luke Shaw has had a wonderful season. He has captured headlines with his form and ability.
"One player has 107 caps and one has many caps to come. It was a hard job to ring Ashley and I can only be unbelievably grateful for the gracious way he accepted the decision.
"Circumstances will prove whether the decision to take the younger player was the right one or not."
England squad: J Hart (Manchester City), B Foster (West Brom), F Forster (Celtic); G Johnson (Liverpool), P Jagielka (Everton), G Cahill (Chelsea), C Smalling (Manchester United), P Jones (Manchester United), L Baines (Everton), L Shaw (Southampton); S Gerrard (Liverpool, capt), F Lampard (Chelsea), J Henderson (Liverpool), J Milner (Manchester City), J Wilshere (Arsenal), R Barkley (Everton), A Lallana (Southampton), R Sterling (Liverpool), A Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal); W Rooney (Manchester United), D Sturridge (Liverpool), D Welbeck (Manchester United), R Lambert (Southampton).
↧
