Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has been recalled to the England team while Manchester United defender Chris Smalling and Chelsea captain Gary Cahill have been dropped ahead of the Three Lions’ friendlies against Italy and Holland this month.
England boss Gareth Southgate announced the 27-man squad at St George’s Park on Thursday.
Understandably, Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane was left out due to an injury.
Smalling, Cahill and Everton centre-back Michael Keane have all been left out of the squad.
Wilshere is making a return to the side after last playing for the Three Lions in their 2-1 shock defeat to Iceland at the 2016 European Championship in France.
Also, Southgate included four uncapped players to the squad in Burnley duo keeper Nick Pope and defender Jamie Tarkowski, who was also a target of Poland, Swansea centre-back Alfie Mawson and Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook
England, who will also play Nigeria in another friendly in June, are in Group G at this year’s World Cup and will face Tunisia, Panama and Belgium.
Also, France coach Didier Deschamps announced his 24-man squad for their warm-up games against Colombia and Russia this month.
Two-goal hero against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League Wissam Ben Yedder of Sevilla was invited for the first time.
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was once again left out of the squad for the friendlies.
Other notable absences are Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette, Manchester City’s Benjamin Mendy and Chelsea’s Tiémoué Bakayoko, all of whom are out injured.
However, Manchester United pair Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial, Chelsea pair N’Golo Kante and Olivier Giroud, Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny and Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris, Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe are all included.
England squad for friendlies against Italy and Holland:
Joe Hart
Jack Butland
Jordan Pickford
Nick Pope
Ryan Bertrand
Danny Rose
Harry Maguire
John Stones
Joe Gomez
James Tarkowski
Alfie Mawson
Kyle Walker
Kieran Trippier
Ashley Young
Eric Dier
Lewis Cook
Jake Livermore
Jordan Henderson
Jack Wilshere
Adam Lallana
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Raheem Sterling
Marcus Rashford
Jesse Lingard
Dele Alli
Danny Welbeck
Jamie Vardy
France squad for friendlies against Colombia and Russia
Alphonse Areola
Hugo Lloris
Steve Mandanda
Lucas Digne
Lucas Hernandez
Presnel Kimpembe
Laurent Koscielny
Benjamin Pavard
Djibril Sidibe
Samuel Umtiti
Raphael Varane
N’Golo Kante
Thomas Lemar
Blaise Matuidi
Paul Pogba
Adrien Rabiot
Corentin Tolisso
Wissam Ben Yedder
Ousmane Dembele
Olivier Giroud
Antoine Griezmann
Anthony Martial
Kylian Mbappe
Florent Thauvin
The post Friendlies: England Recall Wilshere, Drop Smalling, Cahill; France Invite Pogba, Martial, Sevilla’s Ben Yedder appeared first on Complete Sports Nigeria.
Friendlies: England Recall Wilshere, Drop Smalling, Cahill; France Invite Pogba, Martial, Sevilla’s Ben Yedder
