Arsenal winger Theo Walcott is the surprise omission from England's 23-man World Cup squad, BBC Sport understands.

Walcott, 21, was in the provisional squad of 30 and started both of England's recent friendly victories against Mexico and Japan.

But Chelsea's Joe Cole has been included in the final squad, which flies to South Africa on Wednesday.

Gareth Barry had a fitness test on his injured ankle on Tuesday morning, with initial reports sounding favourable.

The Manchester City midfielder has not played since he picked up a ligament in a Premier League match against Tottenham on 5 May.

Walcott was a shock inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup squad but did not feature in the tournament and the then-17-year-old's inclusion was widely criticised.

The right winger has since won 11 caps, with all three of his international goals coming in a 4-1 World Cup qualifying victory against Croatia in Zagreb on 10 September 2008.

The World Cup begins on 11 June, with England's first game coming a day later against the United States in Rustenburg.

More to follow.


BBC SPORTS

Theo Walcott come sabi play ball? The guy just be like Pius Ikedia. . .na only to run parallel to line, reach corner flag & cross im sabi. I'm not surprised by his ommission.

He is shyte anyways. All pace, no end product.

Adam Johnson has been England's best winger since Lennon got injured. Capello must've been high when he decided to omit him.
Walcott doesnt deserve a spot, he should have no complaints.

This England team is looking pretty average. . .

i am surprised at his exclusion. capello is someone who has always attacked down his right wing with speed which was what walcott provided.
walcott was inappropriately included in the 2006 world cup squad. now he has been inappropriately excluded.

chic2pimp:

He is shyte anyways. All pace, no end product.

i believe he has the most goal to match ratio of all the potential number sevens for england.

Though i ain't an England fan and since its his team not mine i wouldn't care less if he picked Gordon Brown ahead of Theo but based on his performances for England he deserved better

oh boy. you imagination is running wild.

gordon brown ke. lol

Walcott come sabi play football? We are talking of better players you are mentioning Wankott.

Another failure from Arsene wenGAY school of senseless football

that leaves zero arsenal players in the england squad.

this must be the first england world cup team without an arsenal player ever.

Of what use have the previous Arsenal players been to them?

Maybe na dem dey infect the 3 rats with their trophyless bad luck

Who are the better players? Wright Phillips or an error prone Warnock? Capello has prolly been coaching before i was born sha so who am i to question his team selection? All i know though is that England are never in it to win it innit?

Better players are the 50yr old, Gascoigne, Platt, Shearer and Lineker. Capello shoulda taken those instead of these fools

Looking like England aren't strong enough.
How is SWP in the side and Adam Johnson out?
Capello is definitely going soft.

Looking like England aren't strong enough.
How is SWP in the side and Adam Johnson out?
Capello is definitely going soft.

Whats the difference between dumb and dumber, they are still getting knocked out anyway

Not a surprise at all.The dude has simply run out of footballing ideas.

ENGLAND'S OFFICIAL 23-MAN ENGLAND SQUAD:

GOALKEEPERS: Rob Green, David James, Joe Hart.

DEFENDERS: Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, John Terry, Jamie Carragher, Stephen Warnock, Matthew Upson, Ledley King.

MIDFIELDERS: Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Shaun Wright-Phillips.

STRIKERS: Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch.


Left OUT: Bent, Walcott, Baines, Adam Johnson, Tom Huddlestone, Scott Parker, Michael Dawson.

tayo_ast:

Heskey does not deserve a place in dt squad 

I feel for Darren

[b]Emile  bench warmer Heskey, shaun run pass ball wright-philips, james potential red card milner [/b]all making the squad.

Walcott with a hat-trick against croatia, and bent the second highest english goal scorer in the premiership being left out.

Capello has definitely lost the plot.

Nothin' wrong with SWP. Him and JC play with passion. . .they may not score but they make things happen when they get going. Good choices.
Heskey - crap.
Walcott - not as crappy as Heskey, but the dude is all pace and barely any end-product when it counts so nothing wrong with Capello's decision there.

Dropping Adam Johnson and Darren Bent. . .terrible choice. The Italian's most likely gonna regret it.
Left to me I wouldn't even pick Carragher. Hez worn out.

It would make the disgrace more fun to watch

The best post/analysis regarding Capello's world cup selection came from msn football member. check it out


"Same old story with every New England manager, they spend 2 years experimenting with new players & formations but when it comes down to the World cup finals it’s always the same players starting. Fabio said he would only take players to the world cup that were fully fit & on form!!!!


BARRY… out injured for 2 months and will not be fit for the first 2 group games… ON THE PLANE

WRIGHT PHILLIPS… can’t even make the man city squad… ON THE PLANE

KING… has a history of knee problems, out for 3 years with injuries… ON THE PLANE

UPSON…had a poor season for West Ham. ON THE PLANE

HESKEY…has only scored 3 goals all season and can’t score in a brothel for England… ON THE PLANE

LENNON… has never done anything playing for England,  ON THE PLANE

CARRICK…poor season for Man Utd…ON THE PLANE

BENT…has scored more premiership goals this season than Heskey, Crouch & Defoe put together…NOT GOING

JOHNSON…only natural left sided player which England desperately need…NOT GOING (can also play right side)

PARKER…had a great season…NOT GOING

HUDLESTONE…had a great season…NOT GOING

DAWSON…had a great season…NOT GOING

WALCOTT…many times has scored important goals in important games for both Arsenal & England and can be a match winner…NOT GOING

This squad is the biggest load of rubbish ever and is based on reputation & inform players which will never win you a world cup".

jalether:


HESKEY…has only scored 3 goals all season and can’t score in a brothel for England… ON THE PLANE

Dude should try a career in modeling.
Imagine he went to the WC in 2006, Ericsson is such a dunce.

Is he any better or worse than the other iddiots on the plane to SA?

Walcott would forever regret the day he decided to go for Euro Under 21 Championship despite Wenger begging him not to go. . . . he has never been the same since he disgraced himself at that tournament. . .

^^^While the players who disgraced him there like Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Dennis Aogo, Marko Marin and Mesut Oezil are on the plane to South Africa

Heskey is part of the team because he complements Rooney's efforts.
Last 10 games of Rooney's with Heskey = 9 goals.
Last 9 games of Rooney's without Heskey = 2 goals.

Heskey is not in the team to score goals. 

Ibime:

Walcott would forever regret the day he decided to go for Euro Under 21 Championship despite Wenger begging him not to go. . . . he has never been the same since he disgraced himself at that tournament. . .

Footballers make wrong choices in their careers. . but this dude is just 21.
No tournament can cause his game to decline. . . Dude was never there.
The same player he was when he came from Southampton

Heskey is the first striker in the history of football taken to a tournament not to score goals but for other reasons