RUSTENBURG, South Africa -- England captain Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out of the World Cup after injuring ligaments in his left knee in training Friday.
The 31-year-old center back, who hobbled out of a hospital on crutches, was injured while defending against striker Emile Heskey during England's first full training session in South Africa, barely a week before England's opener against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12.
Ferdinand immediately went to the Netcare Ferncrest Hospital for scans and he later left the building on crutches, getting into an ambulance marked "Royal Bafokeng."It wasn't immediately clear if he was returning to the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus, where England is based.
Steven Gerrard will step up and fill Ferdinand's role as team captain, sources told ESPN.
Tottenham defender Michael Dawson, who was cut from the preliminary 30-man squad on Tuesday, was put on standby as a possible replacement for Ferdinand. Under FIFA rules, players can be replaced up to the day before the opening game......Read More
Friday, June 4, 2010
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