Shock as Ferdinand is named England captain

Terry must now be wondering if and when he will be skipper again. At the weekend, he had said that despite having that role under Steve McClaren, he didn't expect to be given the nod by Capello.

"I certainly don't expect to be captain but I'm very hopeful I am," Terry said. "I wish to continue as England captain but I respect Mr Capello's decision."

FA chief executive Brian Barwick had hinted in an interview when Capello was appointed in January that whoever was captain had to show a responsible attitude.

Barwick said: "It will be Fabio Capello's decision and his alone, but this is one of the things that Trevor Brooking and I have helped him with. There isn't that degree of importance laid at the door of captains of other countries, but we have told him the captaincy is a very significant part of the English sporting and social fabric."

Terry has blotted his copybook in the past, particularly when he was sent off for the first time in his Chelsea career against Spurs in November 2006 and then charged with misconduct by the FA for questioning the integrity of match referee Graham Poll.

But Ferdinand has also had his brushes with authority, especially when he missed a drugs test in 2003 and was banned for eight months.

The choice of him as skipper also suggests that David Beckham will not start the friendly.

Meanwhile, Capello is due to give evidence in a trial in Rome next Monday in which six men are accused of fostering unfair competition through the use of threats or violence. The case relates to the Serie A match-fixing scandal.