Kevin Keegan has widened options

And while Harry Redknapp and Howard Wilkinson have done their best to protect him, it was simply a matter of time before he merited his senior call-up.

Cole said: "I'm absolutely delighted to have been included in the full England squad so soon after playing for the under-21s.

"I very much want to be involved in these two very important games. But my immediate priority is West Ham versus Bradford on Saturday."

Hammers managing director Paul Aldridge added: "We are all very proud for Joe, a lovely lad who has had an enormous amount of publicity for one so young.

"It is also a source of pride for our Academy staff and another example of our youth policy fulfilling its objectives."

Keegan had certainly been hugely impressed with him when he trained with the England squad for experience last season.

Pressure

And the England coach has previously stated that while he does not wish to put pressure on Cole, he has the talent to become a natural successor to Paul Gascoigne as a creative midfield talent who can go past opponents.

In Campbell's absence, Keegan had to choose a vice-captain with the knowledge that there are some concerns over skipper Tony Adams being able to complete two games within the space of just four days.

Despite Beckham's sometimes questionable temperament, which led to his red card at the 1998 World Cup and the spitting incident in Manchester United's Champions League tie in Eindhoven, Keegan feels he is up to the task.

Keegan, who did not hold a press conference because of the recent death of his mother, has widened his options by naming an enlarged squad as two such important games.

He has included Liverpool's Emile Heskey, despite doubts over a knee problem which may require surgery.

Graeme Le Saux (right) is back in contention

And he has resisted the temptation to recall veterans such as Everton's in-form Paul Gascoigne, Manchester United's Teddy Sheringham and West Ham's Stuart Pearce - who was in the frame because of a shortage of left-sided players until Le Saux recovered from injury.

Le Saux apart, other new faces from the squad against France are Robbie Fowler and Ray Parlour, who were all injured at the start of this month.

Bedevilled

Le Saux's last appearance for his country was 15 months ago against Sweden at Wembley as the defender, who started Keegan's first match in charge against Poland, has since been bedevilled by injury.

Kevin Keegan is a big fan of Robbie Fowler

Fowler has not played a league game this season, and another pre-season ankle injury set him back again.

A surprise call-up, however, is Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who has seemingly been summoned ahead of veteran Stuart Pearce to provide cover due to injury worries over Rio Ferdinand.

Carragher has previously earned one England cap, coming on as a substitute in the friendly in Hungary in April 1999 after being called up as a late replacement, but has not featured in the senior squad since then.

Full England squad: Seaman (Arsenal), Martyn (Leeds), James (Aston Villa), P Neville (Man Utd), Le Saux (Chelsea), G Neville (Man Utd), Barry (Aston Villa), Adams (Arsenal), Keown (Arsenal), Southgate (Aston Villa), Ferdinand (West Ham), Carragher (Liverpool), Ince (Middlesbrough), Dyer (Newcastle), Wise (Chelsea), Beckham (Man Utd), Barmby (Liverpool), Scholes (Man Utd), McManaman (Real Madrid), J Cole (West Ham), Parlour (Arsenal), Gerrard (Liverpool), Owen (Liverpool), A Cole (Man Utd), Phillips (Sunderland), Fowler (Liverpool), Heskey (Liverpool).