23 Players Confirmed for England Football Squad in South Africa

The following players have been confirmed as members of the England squad and will represent their country in the World Cup:

Goalkeepers

• John Hart: Birmimgham - already been capped twice for England and potentially the best goalkeeper in the UK at this moment in time. Hart has had a very good season with his team.
• David James:Portsmouth - 50 caps. He has a lot of experience and is the first choice for many pundits despite making a lot of mistakes this season.
• Robert Green: West Ham - 10 caps. Pretty bad season for West Ham but impressive against Mexico last week.

Defense

• John Terry: Chelsea - solid and courageous player. 2010 has been a bad year regarding his performances on pitch and off. He always gives 100%.
• Rio Ferdinand: Manchester United - England captain. Often injured, he has played only 23 games this season.
• Ashley Cole: Chelsea - By far and away England's best left back. Cole is a reliable player, currently rumoured to be joining Jose Mourinho.
• Glenn Johnson: Liverpool - Injured most of the year, has established himself well but not always reliable in defense.
• Ledley King: Tottenham - Played a fantastic season but his cartilage problems will only allow him to play one game a week.
• Jamie Carrager: Liverpool - a solid defender who has returned to international soccer at the request of the England manager.
• Steve Warnock: West Ham - unlikely choice and it will be interesting to see how he performs.
• Matthew Upson: West Ham - not a favourite of the pundits.

Midfield

This is traditionally the most risky area for England as they seem unable to find the right balance of players or style. Failing to select a good midfield can result in losses and certain players do not always play at their full potential.

• Steven Gerard: Liverpool - There's nothing new to say about Gerard, he's well recognised as one of the most talented of this English soccer playing generation.
• Frank Lampard: Chelsea - a world class player and similar comment to the above for Gerard
• Michael Carrick: Manchester United - Disappointing all season, but he could prove a good choice for the England team.
• James Milner: Aston Villa - a talented young player with a bright future, he's versatile and energetic.
• Aaron Lennon: Tottenham - very quick player who has progressed well this season and demonstrates a style of his own.
• Gareth Barry: Manchester City - although injured towards the end of the season, he's been included in the squad. If he proves fit, he should be an active member of the England football team.
• Joe Cole: Chelsea - a versatile and reliable midfielder. Cole is another wild card in the squad as he has only just proved fit after nine months of injury.
• Shaun Wright-Phillips: Manchester City - another surprising choice but a keen and fast player who may prove his critics wrong.

Centre forwards

• Wayne Rooney: Manchester United - with 34 goals in all competitions this season, Rooney is a world class player who would not disgrace any of the international teams
• Jermaine Defoe: Tottenham - although small in stature he's fast and has a very powerful right foot.
• Peter Crouch: Tottenham - an English giant he's very good with his head
• Emile Heskey: Aston Villa - plays well alongside Rooney and a hard worker.