Football United

Ledley King of Tottenham Hotspur FC and Jamie Carragher of Liverpool FC were named in the England squad for UEFA EURO 2004™ today as Sven-Göran Eriksson sought cover for his defensive absentees. Otherwise the coach has chosen those players who have been regulars in his team for the past two years.

Defoe excluded
With Eriksson deciding to take just four strikers to Portugal there is no place for Jermain Defoe who impressed on his debut against Sweden in March and whose goalscoring form for Tottenham had won him support. Like Gareth Southgate, who would almost certainly have been included in the 23-man squad had he not encountered injury problems, Defoe is listed among six stand-by players.

Cole chance
In midfield, Joe Cole is preferred to his Chelsea FC team-mate Scott Parker. There is no place for Manchester United FC's talented young defender Wes Brown while the third goalkeeping berth goes to Leicester City FC's Ian Walker.

Still a chance
Eriksson said that with the final deadline for squad announcements coming on 2 June, Middlesbrough FC captain Southgate also had the opportunity to prove his fitness after a knee injury but added: "I don't think we will change it at all but we do have the chance to do so."

England squad

Goalkeepers
David James (Manchester City FC)
Paul Robinson (Tottenham Hotspur FC)
Ian Walker (Leicester City FC)

Defenders
Gary Neville (Manchester United FC)
Phillip Neville (Manchester United FC)
Wayne Bridge (Chelsea FC)
Ashley Cole (Arsenal FC)
Sol Campbell (Arsenal FC)
John Terry (Chelsea FC)
Jamie Carragher (Liverpool FC)
Ledley King (Tottenham Hotspur FC)

Midfielders
Nicky Butt (Manchester United FC)
Kieron Dyer (Newcastle United FC)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC)
Paul Scholes (Manchester United FC)
David Beckham (Real Madrid CF)
Owen Hargreaves (FC Bayern München)
Joe Cole (Chelsea FC)

Forwards
Michael Owen (Liverpool FC)
Emile Heskey (Liverpool FC)
Wayne Rooney (Everton FC)
Darius Vassell (Aston Villa FC)

source: uefa.com