Provisional 30-man FIFA World Cup squads named today included nine Manchester United players. Fabio Capello called-up Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand to his England squad, while Park Ji-Sung, Nemanja Vidic, Zoran Tosic, Patrice Evra, Javier Hernandéz and Nani were also selected for the tournament in South Africa.
There were disappointments too, with Wes Brown, Gary Neville, Ben Foster and Owen Hargreaves missing out on a place in the England squad, although the latter three were not seriously considered.
Meanwhile Paul Scholes turned down Fabio Capello’s offer to join England’s camp in South Africa, as he has for every England manager since the Bury-born midfielder retired from international football six years ago.
Zoran Tosic also made the Serbian squad. United’s left winger, who has never started for the club, is currently on loan at Bundesliga side Cologne and is unlikely to return to Old Trafford.
Nine former United players will also travel to South Africa. Gerard Piqué (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Carloz Tevez, Gabriel Heinze (both Argentina), Jonathan Spector, Tim Howard (both USA), Giuseppe Rossi (Italy), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Kleberson (Brazil) will all play in the tournament this summer.
United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy missed out on the Dutch squad, while veteran Juan Veron was overlooked by Argentina.
Full List of United players at the World Cup
Patrice Evra (France, Group A), Javier Hernandéz (Mexico, Group A), Park Ji-Sung (South Korea, Group B), Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand (all England, Group C), Nemanja Vidic, Zoran Tosic (both Serbia, Group D), Nani (Portugal, Group G).
Van Der Sar its not going to South Africa, he retired from international football after the Euro 2008.
I thought that too but he’s on the list I just saw. I’m guessing an error elsewhere but followed what was printed!
I will be watching out for Chicarito and Zoran Tosic. Will be looking for what Chicarito has to offer us, and what we will be missing from Zoran Tosic after the WC
So will I.
What I have seen so far from Tosic is that he is no Tosser like a few others that may be around us.
Interesting to see Kleberson in Brazil squas as Pato, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Adriano and Diego all didn’t make it.
…We shouldn’t have let him go 😀
Does that bring the validity of the Anderson chant into question then as Anderson might not be much better than Kleberson!