Rio to stay with England squad

Upson sits out training again due to illness

Last updated: 6th June 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Rio to stay with England squad

Ferdinand: To stay for USA game

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Rio Ferdinand is to stay with the England squad until after the team's first game of the World Cup against the United States next Saturday.

The defender has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a knee injury during a training ground collision on Friday and he is likely to be sidelined for six weeks.

The injury has scuppered Ferdinand's chance to captain England at the World Cup and the armband has now been passed on to Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard.

However, Ferdinand is not returning immediately back to England and will spend the next few days with his international team-mates.

The Manchester United centre-half is expected to stay with the squad until after their World Cup opener with the USA and will then fly home for further treatment on his knee injury.

Meanwhile, Matthew Upson missed training on Sunday for the second day in a row as he continues to struggle with illness.

Upson is one of the contenders to replace Ferdinand in the England starting line-up as the battle to partner John Terry intensifies.

Ledley King has been mooted as the favourite to start alongside Terry, but his Tottenham colleague Michael Dawson, Upson and Jamie Carragher are also in contention.