LONDON, May 16: Veteran defender Rio Ferdinand was the highest-profile casualty on Wednesday as England manager Roy Hodgson unveiled his squad for the European Championships.

After intense speculation about whether Hodgson would risk picking Ferdinand and Chelsea captain John Terry in the same squad, an announcement confirmed that it was the Manchester United centre-half who had been left out.

Terry had previously been tipped to miss out with Hodgson questioning whether the centre-half could exist happily in the same squad as Ferdinand, who has accumulated 81 caps since making his debut in 1997.

Terry is facing a July court case on allegations he racially abused Ferdinand’s younger brother Anton during Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Queens Park Rangers last October, accusations he strongly denies.

However Ferdinand’s ability to withstand the rigours of a tournament campaign were called into doubt by his Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson last week, who questioned whether the defender could play two games in four days.

Hodgson later told reporters that Ferdinand’s omission was made “purely” on footballing grounds.

“It’s purely a footballing decision,” Hodgson said. “He’s a player I respect as a person and a man.

“It was a hard phone call to make. I can only hope that Rio accepts my decision.”

The Football Association’s decision to strip Terry of the England captaincy in February over the alleged abuse of Anton Ferdinand had led to coach Fabio Capello quitting.

“(The trial) is obviously very unfortunate for him ... but he is innocent until proven guilty,” Hodgson said. “I realized when I selected him there would be people who would raise their eyebrows.”Steven Gerrard, who was Hodgson’s captain during his six-month reign at Liverpool, will wear the England captain’s armband.

“I shall be counting on him to help me build the type of team unity and environment we need to thrive in a tournament,” Hodgson said.

In other notable selections, Hodgson included Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy and Arsenal teenager Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Ruddy, who is due to get married on June 2, could barely contain his surprise at the inclusion on the back of a superb first Premier League season with Norwich.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet but I’m absolutely over the moon,” he told Sky Sports. “It was quite surreal. I can’t wait to get started. It just caps off a wonderful couple of years I’ve had at Norwich.”

The 25-year-old, who along with 18-year-old Oxlade-Chamberlain are the only uncapped players in the squad, has been given special leave by the FA to marry his partner Laura on the day England play Belgium in a friendly at Wembley. England’s other warm-up match is against Norway in Oslo on May 26.

“I have already had the conversation and they (England) don’t want me to cancel it (the wedding)...so fingers crossed I will still be getting married and then be on the plane to Poland,” said Ruddy.

Carroll, signed for 35 million pounds ($56.14 million) in January 2011 from Newcastle United, has endured a difficult spell at Anfield scoring just 11 goals in 56 appearances.

With Wayne Rooney suspended for England’s opening two Group D games, Carroll is now a strong candidate to lead the attack in the Three Lions’ opening game against France in Donetsk on June 11.

Rooney’s Manchester United colleague Danny Welbeck and Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe complete the line-up of forwards.

Hodgson has retained 11 members of the squad Capello took to South Africa two years ago for the World Cup and went out in the last 16.

In midfield Hodgson has opted for an experienced pool of players with several veterans of England’s ill-fated 2010 World Cup campaign in the frame, including Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner and Gareth Barry.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Robert Green (West Ham United), John Ruddy (Norwich City); Defenders: Ashley Cole (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Leighton Baines (Everton), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), Gary Cahill (Chelsea); Midfielders: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool, captain), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur), Gareth Barry (Manchester City), James Milner (Manchester City), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Ashley Young (Manchester United); Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur).—Agencies