• International football

England call for Wilshere and Gibbs

Jack Wilshere is rated highly by Arsene Wenger © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Brown follows Robinson in calling time on England
  
• News: Paul Robinson retires from international football
  
• News: Capello wants winter break
  

Arsenal youngster Jack Wilshere has been handed a place in the England squad for next week's friendly with Hungary.

Kieran Gibbs and Bobby Zamora have also been handed places in the party by Fabio Capello, but there is no spot for David James whose England career may now be over.

As well as omitting James, Capello has also left out Robert Green - with Blackburn Rovers keeper Paul Robinson earning a surprise recall.

Capello has retained faith in senior players Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry and John Terry, but there is new blood up front with Zamora, Darren Bent and Carlton Cole joining Wayne Rooney in the forward line.

Of the 23-man party, only 10 of the World Cup squad have retained their places - Joe Cole, Aaron Lennon, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe have been jettisoned - as Capello makes a clear signal that the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign will be a new dawn.

Wilshere, who is Arsenal's youngest ever player in league and European football. He caught the eye during a loan spell at Bolton Wanderers last season and has secured his first senior call-up following two impressive performances in Arsenal's victory in the Emirates Cup pre-season tournament.

The teenager, who can play through the middle or out wide, graduates from the Under-21 squad and will be his country's youngest debutant since Micah Richards in November 2006 if he appears against Hungary at Wembley.

Wilshere is relishing the prospect of making his England debut next week.

"I am delighted to have been named in the England squad for the first time," he told Arsenal's official website. "It is a real honour and I'm looking forward to the experience. But I am also realistic and want to take things one step at a time.

"Being called up to the England squad is a proud moment for me and my family, but my first target is to break into the Arsenal team and play on a regular basis. To achieve that, I need to keep my head down, work hard and stay focused."

Gibbs is another Arsenal youngster in the fray and the defender is surprised to have been given the nod.

"It's a welcome surprise to have been called up by Fabio Capello to the England squad for the first time," said the 20-year-old. "It is always an honour to play for my country at any level but it is a special moment to be called up to the first-team squad."

England squad to face Hungary at Wembley on Wednesday:
Ben Foster (Birmingham), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers; Wes Brown (Manchester United), Gary Cahill (Bolton Wanderers), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), John Terry (Chelsea); Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Aston Villa), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal); Darren Bent (Sunderland), Carlton Cole (West Ham United), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Bobby Zamora (Fulham)

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.