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LONDON - David Beckham could win his 100th international cap against France next Wednesday after he was recalled to the England squad.
Coach Fabio Capello named the 32-year-old midfielder, who plays for LA Galaxy, in a 30-man squad for the friendly at the Stade de France. The squad
will be cut to 23 on Saturday.
Beckham, who made his international debut in September 1996 and won his 99th cap against Croatia in November when England were eliminated from this year's European championship, was left out of Capello's squad for last month's friendly against Switzerland.
But the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player was watched by Capello's assistant Franco Baldini in a friendly for LA Galaxy in Dallas at the weekend and clearly did enough to convince the Italians that he was fit.
Arsenal forward Theo Walcott, who turned 19 last Sunday, has been called up for the first time since he was included in the 2006 World Cup squad.
Walcott, who won his only cap as a substitute against Hungary in May 2006, did not play in Germany and subsequently dropped out of the senior international squad.
"I celebrated my 19th birthday on Sunday," he told the Arsenal website. "So the call-up is a great birthday present for me. I'm looking forward to meeting up with all of the lads after the weekend's game."
Middlesbrough defender David Wheater and Portsmouth's prolific striker Jermain Defoe are also in Capello's provisional squad.
A year ago Wheater was on loan at League Two (fourth division) Darlington and he started the season as Middlesbrough's fifth or sixth choice centre-back.
Capello has selected Portsmouth's David James, Aston Villa's Scott Carson and Wigan Athletic's Chris Kirkland as his three goalkeepers.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: David James (Portsmouth), Scott Carson (Liverpool, on loan at Aston Villa), Chris Kirkland (Wigan Athletic)
Defenders: Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Wes Brown (Manchester United), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Joleon Lescott (Everton), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham United), David Wheater (Middlesbrough), Jonathan Woodgate (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfielders: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur), Owen Hargreaves (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), David Bentley (Blackburn Rovers), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough)
Forwards: Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Michael Owen (Newcastle United), Wayne Rooney, (Manchester United), Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
- REUTERS
