Rio Ferdinand Out of Upcoming World Cup Qualifiers

Rio Ferdinand has been forced to withdraw from the England squad, and he will miss the crucial World Cup qualifying matches against San Marino and Montenegro.The Manchester United star was recalled to the England fold last week after a two-year hiatus caused by some long-term fitness issues. England manager Roy Hodgson has expressed his disappointment at Ferdinand's withdrawal, but Alex Ferguson had expressed concerns at Rio's inclusion - citing his recurring fitness issues as cause for concern.Shortly after Ferdinand's announcement, 21-year-old Steven Caulker was called up, as well as Manchester City's Joleon Lescott and Newcastle United's Steven Taylor. Gary Cahill and Michael Dawson have also both been forced to pull out of the provisional England squad due to injury.Following the high-profile exclusion of Ferdinand from Hodgson's Euro 2012 squad, it had seemed that the Manchester United defender's international career was over. The England boss had opted for John Terry for 'footballing' reasons, which seems to create a rift between manager and player.But Ferdinand received a vote of confidence from former England team-mate Frank Lampard, who has publicly stated that the former Leeds United player can still play an integral role in the England set up. Make sure you are there to cheer England on in person. You can buy England football tickets right here - safely and securely.