Fulham striker Bobby Zamora was left out of the provisional England World Cup squad because he needs an operation.

Zamora will saddle up for the Cottagers in Wednesday night's Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in Hamburg but after that have surgery on his Achilles which forced Three Lions boss Fabio Capello not to select him.

"Zamora was one of the players I was interested in but he said every time he plays he needs an injection," Capello said.

"After his last game he thinks he'll need an operation."

Capello also justified his decision to select Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry despite him being under an injury cloud with an ankle problem.

"We have one problem with Barry and we don't know if he'll be OK," he added.

"I know I said Barry would be out but he told me he'd be checked by the medics on the 29th or 30th.

"Now he tells me it's the 24th. That's six days before so, for this reason, I decided to select him."