David Beckham has been recalled to the England squad for next week's friendly against France in Paris, putting the midfielder on track to win his 100th cap.

Fabio Capello, the England head coach, has also recalled Arsenal teenager Theo Walcott, nearly two years after he won his one and only cap as England's youngest ever player, and handed David Wheater, the Middlesbrough defender, a first international call-up.

"I always said that when David Beckham was fit he could be in the squad," Capello said. "I have had good reports on him from Franco Baldini, who watched him on Saturday night, and also from his club. I know a lot about David Beckham and what he can offer the team."

Jermain Defoe, the Portsmouth striker, has also been included while Chelsea pair John Terry and Frank Lampard, who missed Capello's first game in charge due to injury, are also there.

However, there was no place in the side for Ben Foster, Manchester United's highly-rated young goalkeeper, who had been tipped to be included after his impressive United debut last weekend, following his recovery from knee surgery.

Those named in Capello's first 30-man squad in January who miss out this time are Micah Richards and Curtis Davies, both injured, as well as Ledley King, Nicky Shorey, Michael Carrick and Emile Heskey.

Beckham was watched by Capello's assistant Franco Baldini in a friendly for his club, LA Galaxy, in Dallas at the weekend and obviously did enough to convince the Italians that he is fit enough to win his 100th cap in the Stade de France.

Capello, who managed Beckham at Real Madrid, left the 32-year-old midfielder out of his squad to face Switzerland but made it clear at the time that he was willing to extend his international career.

Beckham's recall comes at the expense of the Tottenham Hotspurs' Aaron Lennon, who unexpectedly failed to make the squad, but he is not expected to dislodge Blackburn Rovers' David Bentley from the starting line-up.

Capello has not named his captain against France - he has said he wants to try different players before deciding on a permanent choice.

Steven Gerrard wore the armband against Switzerland last month and Terry or Rio Ferdinand are the favourites for this game.

The squad will be whittled down to a final group of 23 on Saturday evening, even though many of the players will involved in the Manchester United v Liverpool and Chelsea v Arsenal Premier League matches on Sunday.

Gabriel Agbonlahor, the Aston Villa striker, said he was delighted to have been included after a hamstring injury prevented him making his debut against Switzerland in February.

"It was a big blow to have to pull out of the last squad through injury so I've been hoping that I would get a second chance," he said.

"Playing for England is a dream for everyone and I want to do my best for them. Hopefully I can show Mr Capello what I am capable of."

England will play the Czech Republic in a friendly international at Wembley on August 20 in the final match before they begin their qualification campaign for the 2010 World Cup.

England squad to face France:

Goalkeepers: James (Portsmouth), Carson (Aston Villa), Kirkland (Wigan)

Defenders: Bridge (Chelsea), A Cole (Chelsea), Johnson (Portsmouth), Terry (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Lescott (Everton), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Wheater (Middlesbrough), Woodgate (Tottenham), Upson (West Ham)

Midfielders: Barry (Aston Villa), Young (Aston Villa), Bentley (Blackburn), J Cole (Chelsea), Lampard (Chelsea), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Man Utd), Downing (Middlesbrough), Jenas (Tottenham)

Strikers: Walcott (Arsenal), Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Crouch (Liverpool), Rooney (Man Utd), Owen (Newcastle), Defoe (Portsmouth).

Meanwhile, Raymond Domenech, the France coach, has called up four new players and again left out David Trezeguet, the Juventus striker, to face both England and Mali.

Midfielders Mathieu Bodmer (Lyons) and Mathieu Valbuena (Marseilles) and defenders Mathieu Delpierre (Stuttgart) and Adil Rami (Lille) were among 39 players named for Wednesday's friendly against England and a B international with Mali the day before.

Trezeguet has not played for France since a 1-0 loss against Scotland in September 2007, although Domenech insists "the door is not closed" for the player who has 16 league goals this season.

It will be the last chance for Domenech to test out players ahead of naming his squad in May for the European Championship. France will be in Group C with Romania, the Netherlands and Italy.

France (from):

Goalkeepers: Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina), Mickael Landreau (Paris Saint-Germain), Steve Mandanda (Marseilles)

Defenders: Eric Abidal (FC Barcelona), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Lyons), Francois Clerc (Lyons), Gael Clichy (Arsenal), Mathieu Delpierre (Stuttgart), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), William Gallas (Arsenal), Gael Givet (Marseilles), Philippe Mexes (AS Roma), Adil Rami (Lille), Bakary Sagna (Arsenal), Sebastien Squillaci (Lyons), Lilian Thuram (FC Barcelona)

Midfielders: Rio Mavuba (Lille), Mathieu Bodmer (Lyons), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Samir Nasri (Marseilles), Jerome Rothen (Paris Saint-Germain), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyons), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan)

Strikers: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Hatem Ben Arfa (Lyons), Karim Benzema (Lyons), Jimmy Briand (Rennes), Djibril Cisse (Marseille), Sidney Govou (Lyons), Thierry Henry (FC Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Louis Saha (Manchester United), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseilles)

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