And, at 21, he has time to recover – much as Rio Ferdinand did after suffering a similar experience prior to Euro 2000 – and listen to the criticism of people like Chris Waddle, who claimed Walcott did not have a “football brain” following the March friendly with Egypt.

Still, it must have been hard for Walcott to respond after such a shattering blow.

“I am very disappointed not to be included in the squad going out to South Africa, but completely respect Mr Capello’s decision,” said Walcott.

“I would like to wish the team the best of luck and hope they have a really successful tournament.”

Shaun Wright-Phillips is the obvious beneficiary and can probably count himself rather fortunate.

After all, the 28-year-old was consistently overlooked by Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, who has preferred the talents of new recruit Adam Johnson.

As in-form Johnson was also in that provisional squad, he might have been a more obvious choice.

But Capello has been wary of drafting in someone who started the season in the Championship and Johnson’s admission that he found it difficult to breathe during his debut against Mexico probably made the manager’s mind up about a player who will almost certainly be a member of his squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers when they get under way in September.

The other surprise inclusion was Aston Villa’s Stephen Warnock, who bizarrely did not feature at all in the last three friendlies, when Leighton Baines started twice.

But Baines’ frank revelation that he could struggle with homesickness if he spent six weeks away from his family must have rung alarm bells for Capello, hence Warnock’s inclusion as Ashley Cole’s deputy.

Assurances that Gareth Barry, at the very least, will be fit to play a full part in training immediately after the Group C opener against the United States on June 12 meant the remainder of England’s 23-man squad was as expected.

Like Warnock, neither Scott Parker nor Michael Dawson played a minute of the last two friendlies and Michael Carrick had built up a big enough bank of goodwill to hold off the midfield challenge of Tom Huddlestone.

As Darren Bent found against Brazil in November and Japan on Sunday, 25 goals for Sunderland does not necessarily equate to scoring form on the international arena.

It was never seriously doubted that either Jamie Carragher or Ledley King would be involved and earn a place, and Joe Cole’s second-half display against Japan on Sunday eased him onto the plane.