Football365.com have been running this hit parade throughout the qualifiers.
These are the final standings after the competitive games....obviously there is the best part of a season to still play and there are injuries inevitable as well as collapsing (or rising/returning) of form and players who simply don't feature for their teams.
BUT.....I am asking you.....who would be the 23 who got plane tickets in your book.
I'll post mine shortly
1 - Wayne Rooney (1)
England's best player by a quite considerable distance against Ukraine. His absence against Belarus might have been a blessing in disguise for those who wanted to see how a Rooney-less England would fare, but it was mostly a glimpse into a world titled 'oh bugger, we really are f***ed without him'.
2 - Steven Gerrard (2)
He will always have his detractors but Gerrard is the other player central to how Fabio Capello wants England to play - in a 4-2-3-1, with the ball and with movement between three technical, attacking players using the space created by the big man up front.
3 - Ashley Cole (6)
It's only when he's not there that you really learn to love him. Perhaps Cheryl feels the same.
4 - John Terry (5)
At least you know where you are with the captain. He may be slow and his distribution is frankly terrible, but the alternatives are too depressing to contemplate. Actually, getting to the stage of advocating the inclusion of Terry is almost too depressing to contemplate.
5 - Emile Heskey (4)
I'm bored of making this argument, but Heskey is central to how Fabio Capello wants England to play. He enables other people to play the quick, lovely, exhilirating passing football we like to see. Yes, he misses chances, but with 34 goals scored by 11 players in ten games (more than any other European team), I'm not sure we should lose too much sleep.
6 - Frank Lampard (7)
Not exactly eye-catching in that withdrawn role but he has learned to do the simple things well and allow others to grab the headlines.
7 - Rio Ferdinand (3)
Please, please, please sort yourself out Rio - we don't want to face Spain with Matthew Upson alongside Terry.
8 - Gareth Barry (8)
Still a question mark about his effectiveness against the very best, but his performance against Belarus suggested that he will not surrender his position easily under pressure from a fit-again Owen Hargreaves.
9 - Glen Johnson (9)
There are still niggling doubts (even against the limited ability of Belarus, he had his moments) but we are beginning to suspect that Capello is willing to take the risk of Johnson making a defensive cock-up because he offers so much going forward. Fingers crossed he will not rue that risk and fingers crossed Hargreaves will soon be fit enough to offer protection there.
10 - David James (10)
"Does it make good TV?" asked David James when questioned about the 'fight for the goalkeeper's gloves'. It might, but James has already won that battle barring a massive loss of form.
11 - David Beckham (13)
Ignore all the nonsense in the newspapers - if he's fit and playing in Milan, Beckham will go to the World Cup. There's no fight with Aaron Lennon et al for a place on the right wing, he's already there as the one man in the category entitled 'Calm Cameo'.
12 - Owen Hargreaves (12)
Needs to get fit by Christmas and then look unbreakable in the second half of the season for Manchester United. If there's anyone who thinks Capello will take Michael Carrick over a fit Hargreaves, frankly you're a fool.
13 - Jermain Defoe (11)
Shame for him that Rooney's absence came at a time when he too was unavailable, but we suspect he has nothing to prove to Capello. He is clearly the best option as a speedy, out-and-out goalscorer for a Rooney-less Plan B.
14 - Wes Brown (14)
Offers the versatility vital when whittling a squad down to 23 and could come in handy as an out-and-out defender if Johnson looks vulnerable against better opposition. Often forgotten but he's a Capello squad regular when fit.
15 - Theo Walcott (17)
A double boost for Theo this week with a return to fitness and less-than-convincing auditions from Aaron Lennon and Shaun Wright-Phillips in his stead. The records show that he is Capello's first-choice winger when fit.
16 - Matthew Upson (15)
That he is England's third-choice centre-half is both baffling and a source of some considerable worry.
17 - Robert Green (16)
England's...No 2, England England's No 2.
18 - Peter Crouch (26)
16 goals in 17 starts for his country, though the catch is that he's unlikely to start and he's only scored twice off the bench. But Fabio would be daft not to take him to South Africa as part of his Plan B. Presumably for Beanpole.
19 - Ben Foster (20)
Given the start against Belarus (ahead of Joe Hart) and pulled off one very good save. He'll go to SA as cover for James and Green.
20 - Aaron Lennon (18)
Failed to reach the highs of the Croatia game against Belarus but still remains ahead of SWP in the 'quick but prone to making the wrong decision' pecking order.
21 - Joleon Lescott (19)
Hanging on but should be looking over his shoulder at the returning Phil Jagielka and the impressive Gary Cahill.
22 - James Milner (23)
Keeps coming off the bench and keeps heading to the left-hand side of the pitch, which suggests that Capello sees him as a very handy player to have around the squad. Could potentially play in either full-back position, on either wing, or through the middle. No world-beater but a reliable and versatile option.
23 - Wayne Bridge (22)
Does Capello need a dedicated reserve left-back? If it was us, we'd shoehorn Joe Cole into the squad, cross our fingers and think 'f*** it'. After all, he's got Gareth Barry as well as Lescott, Hargreaves and Milner in the squad.
24 - Joe Cole (27)
If he returns without hiccup and plays without fear, surely Capello will find a place for one of England's most gifted players.
25 - Shaun Wright-Phillips (24)
Capello won't forget those 45 rotten minutes against Slovenia just because SWP scored a goal. Wastes possession far too often and makes the wrong decisions even if he manages to manoeuvre himself into the right places. Sorry Wrighty, but your boy's not good enough.
26 - Michael Carrick (25)
We've been predicting all along that Carrick will eventually miss the cut, simply because he looks lost against better opposition. And then he went and looked rubbish against Ukraine too.
27 - Carlton Cole (21)
He must have known when his shot was saved for a Crouch tap-in that he will probably lose the Big Man Battle.
28 - Gary Cahill (31)
Another call-up suggests he's next in line - mostly because the likes of Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate are never fit enough for long enough.
29 - Paul Robinson (29)
A place in Capello's latest squad suggests he's still (just about) in the reckoning.
30 - Ashley Young (28)
Capello doesn't fancy him. Not his type, apparently.
THE REST
31 - Stewart Downing (30)
32 - Leighton Baines (32)
33 - Joe Hart (34)
34 - Lee Cattermole (36)
35 - Michael owen (33)
36 - Gaby Agbonlahor (44)
37 - Phil Jagielka (35)
38 - Darren Bent (37)
39 - Ledley King (38)
40 - Ryan Shawcross (46)
41 - Micah Richards (39)
42 - Jack Wilshere (40)
43 - Jermaine Jenas (41)
44 - Keiran Gibbs (48)
45 - Mark Noble (42)
46 - Kyle Naughton (43)
47 - Matty Taylor (45)
48 - Tom Huddlestone (RE)
49 - Jack Rodwell (49)
50 - Phil Neville (50)
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