England

King, right, was picked before Spurs teammate Dawson replaced injured captain Ferdinand [EPA]

The Three Lions go into nearly every tournament tipped as one of the favourites, only to disappoint in the final stages.

But with Italian master Fabio Capello at the helm, England’s mix of flair and pragmatism has boosted hopes as they chase a World Cup win that would banish constant references to their only previous success in 1966.

Striker Wayne Rooney can claim to be one of the best players in the world, while a midfield featuring Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard has promised much but failed to ultimately deliver.

Goalkeepers:

Robert Green (West Ham United), Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth).

Defenders:

Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspurr), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham Hotspur), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham United), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).

Midfielders:

Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).

Forwards:

Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).