England coach Fabio Capello has made several surprise selections in his preliminary 30-man World Cup squad.
Uncapped duo Adam Johnson and Michael Dawson are in, along with Dawson’s Tottenham team-mate Tom Huddlestone.
Jamie Carragher comes out of international retirement, while fellow defender Ledley King and the injured Gareth Barry have also been picked.
Scott Parker, Stephen Warnock and Darren Bent are chosen, with the final 23-man squad to be announced by 1 June.
Under Fifa regulations, Capello is permitted to bring players into his 23-man squad who were not included in the preliminary party.
But that would be an unusual move, meaning the squad he takes to this summer’s finals in South Africa is unlikely to look too dissimilar to that which he has already named.
England play Mexico at Wembley on 24 May and Japan in Austria six days later as part of a pre-tournament training camp.
That will provide Capello with time to work with a much-changed squad and put the finishing touches to his preparations.
The Italian has included 23-year-old Joe Hart among his three goalkeepers after the Manchester City player enjoyed an outstanding season on loan at Birmingham.
Like Hart, left-backs Leighton Baines of Everton and Warnock of Aston Villa have one senior cap to their names and are graduate of the England Under-21 side.
But the big news in defence surrounds the return of versatile Liverpool defender Carragher, who appeared at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup before retiring in the summer of 2007.
“The FA got in touch a few weeks ago and asked if I would have a rethink, due to injury problems,” said the 32-year-old former England Under-21 captain who won his first senior cap in April 1999. ” I said I would make myself available.
“The World Cup and Champions League are the highest levels of football. I’m not getting any younger, we have no Champions League football (at Liverpool) next season and I am keen to work under Fabio Capello.”
Despite a chronic knee problem, King’s selection had been predicted in some quarters and it would appear the Tottenham captain’s form in helping his club finish fourth in the Premier League helped influence Capello.
“I am really happy because he played four games in 15 days,” the Italian said on Monday.
Dawson, King’s centre-half partner at White Hart Lane, has been rewarded for a tremendous season and will hope to now add some senior caps to his 13 Under-21 appearances.
There was plenty of speculation over whether Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole would be selected but the 28-year-old has bounced back impressively from cruciate knee ligament damage and a poor run of form.
Capello’s other midfield options include the fit-again Aaron Lennon of Tottenham, Arsenal’s Theo Walcott and Shaun Wright-Phillips of Manchester City.
More to follow.
England’s 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup finals:
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, David James, Robert Green.
Defenders: Leighton Baines, Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Michael Dawson, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock.
Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Forwards: Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney.