Team profile: England
The winners in 1966 are a country desperate to add a second star to their jersey. The nation’s attention before the tournament was focused on the fitness of Wayne Rooney with fans only pausing briefly to criticize the tactics of departing manager Sven
FIFA Ranking: 10
Coach: Sven-Goran Eriksson
Key players: Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard
World Cup record: 12th appearance
Best Finish: Champion 1966
Last appearance: Quarter finals 2002
Qualifying route: Won European Group 6
Key questions: As another team with a massive burden to perform can the departing Eriksson get the best of this “golden generation”? Will the selection of Theo Walcott be a disaster or a masterstroke?
Squad:
| Goalkeepers | # |
| Paul Robinson | 1 |
| David James | 13 |
| Scott Carson | 22 |
| Defenders | |
| Gary Neville | 2 |
| Ashley Cole | 3 |
| John Terry | 5 |
| Rio Ferdinand | 6 |
| Sol Campbell | 12 |
| Wayne Bridge | 14 |
| Jamie Carragher | 15 |
| Midfielders | |
| Steven Gerrard | 4 |
| David Beckham | 7 |
| Frank Lampard | 8 |
| Joe Cole | 11 |
| Owen Hargreaves | 16 |
| Jermaine Jenas | 17 |
| Michael Carrick | 18 |
| Aaron Lennon | 19 |
| Stewart Downing | 20 |
| Forwards | |
| Wayne Rooney | 9 |
| Michael Owen | 10 |
| Peter Crouch | 21 |
| Theo Walcott | 23 |
Group matches:
v Paraguay, 13:00 GMT, Saturday 10th June – Frankfurt
v Trinidad & Tobago, 16:00 GMT, Thursday 15th June – Nuremberg
v Sweden, 19:00 GMT, Tuesday 20th June – Cologne