Wayne Rooney’s England career moved a step closer to the end after the former captain was left out of Gareth Southgate’s squad to face Scotland and France next month.
Rooney made a brief cameo in Manchester United’s Europa League final win over Ajax in Stockholm on Wednesday night but was brought back down to earth with the news he has not been included in a 25-man party that will contest a World Cup qualifier in Hampden on June 10 followed by a Paris friendly three days later.
25 players have been called up for the #ThreeLions' games against Scotland and France next month.
Read more: https://t.co/jnOOHdYjj1 pic.twitter.com/bp6zpRNRaf— England (@England) May 25, 2017
The door is not closed on an international return for the 31-year-old, who had hoped to end his Three Lions career by leading his country in Russia next summer, but Southgate has placed him firmly behind Marcus Rashford, Jermain Defoe, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy in the pecking order.
Elsewhere in the squad, there is a recall for goalkeeper Jack Butland, back after a year of injury trauma dating back to his previous England appearance in Germany, a first call-up for Tottenham’s Kieran Trippier and nods for Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson and West Ham’s Aaron Cresswell.
It is now hard to see a way back for Rooney, who is England’s record goalscorer with 53 as well as being the most capped outfield player with 119 appearances.
He has been quietly shunted down the Old Trafford pecking order this season and even a late-season return to the first team picture, a result of injuries and fixture congestion at United more than a compelling upturn in form, has not persuaded Southgate.
Instead he has placed his faith in 19-year-old Rashford, who started for United against Ajax, and will not now link up with the Under-21s for this summer’s European Championship.
Kane’s return also marks the first time Southgate has been able to select the Premier League golden boot winner, who has missed all six of the manager’s matches through injury.
Speaking to thefa.com, Southgate spoke of his excitement for the forthcoming fixtures.
“The Scotland game is one of football’s great fixtures,” he said.
“We’re in a place in the group where a win can really put us in a very strong position and that’s what we want to achieve.
“France is a great challenge for us. Our ambition with our friendly matches is to play the best possible teams – we’ve done that by playing Spain and Germany already. They’re teams we want to test ourselves against and these are great opportunities to learn and improve.
“A game away in the Stade de France will be a brilliant occasion for the players.”
Burnley’s Michael Keane will not be part of those games, having made his first two appearances against Germany and Lithuania in the last international break, as he nurses a calf injury.
Trippier’s call-up comes after he ousted Kyle Walker from the Tottenham XI at the tail end of the season while Chelsea’s Gary Cahill is an obvious captaincy candidate, though Kane is also an option to lead his country for the first time.
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