Pace and class the telling factors in the kingdom of Ledley

In football, one man's injury is another's opportunity. By a convoluted process of elimination it has taken three central defenders' injuries and another's suspension to bring Ledley King the oppor-tunity of his young life this evening. A starting place against the European champions, France, awaits the unassuming 23-year-old in reassuringly familiar company. On his right will be the towering figure of former Tottenham colleague Sol Campbell; to his left, a playmate from much further back, fellow East Ender Ashley Cole from the wonderfully productive Tower Hamlets boys' club Senrab.

In football, one man's injury is another's opportunity. By a convoluted process of elimination it has taken three central defenders' injuries and another's suspension to bring Ledley King the oppor-tunity of his young life this evening. A starting place against the European champions, France, awaits the unassuming 23-year-old in reassuringly familiar company. On his right will be the towering figure of former Tottenham colleague Sol Campbell; to his left, a playmate from much further back, fellow East Ender Ashley Cole from the wonderfully productive Tower Hamlets boys' club Senrab.

It was Campbell's misfortune in missing an earlier trip to Portugal that reopened the window on an England career encompassing at that stage one appearance a year. Every spring, the national team would play a friendly, numerous senior players would be unavailable and Sven Goran Eriksson would sent for the young man from White Hart Lane. So there was a debut as substitute in the Elland Road defeat by Italy two years ago, another appearance for the second-half reserves in the infamous Australia game at Upton Park 12 months later and then, when Campbell dropped out of the friendly in Faro four months ago, the excitement of a first start and even a goal just after half-time, nudging in a free-kick at the far post.

At a conservative estimate, the man who would be King was at that stage seventh choice for the two centre-half positions. But for Eriksson "he showed he's ready", and as those above him fell by the wayside he first edged into the squad, and now appears to have convinced the England coaches that he is a better bet than Liverpool's Jamie Carragher, a Scouser of all trades, but international master of none.

Those who have monitored him as closely as David Pleat at Tottenham have never had a doubt. "Carragher's stronger, but as footballers, there's no comparison," Pleat told Sportsweek yesterday from Porto, where he was covering yesterday's opening game for ITV. "Ledley's a natural reader of the game, anticipates well and plays the ball off early, and is a clean tackler."

There has been criticism that King has spent too much time in midfield this season, but Pleat makes that a plus: "Playing in central midfield, the angles the ball comes to you and the way you position yourself can only help him when he reverts to the back. He put himself before the team. We knew he was more effective as a centre-back, but we didn't have anyone else of the resolve to play in the centre of midfield.

"I've no worries about him. He's played against [Thierry] Henry and other people with pace like [Michael] Owen and done very well. I don't think he'll have problems. And whatever happens, he'll be a very fine international player eventually."

Nerves and temperament should not, apparently, be a problem either: "He's a quiet lad, you hardly notice him, a lovely boy - one of those you wouldn't mind if your daughter married."

Living up to his billing, the potential bridegroom is not rash enough to start shouting the odds about taking on Henry (who did not score against Tottenham this season) before his selection is officially confirmed. "It's not something I will talk about publicly," he says. "I will talk about it with the team and the coaches. We have got our own tactics on how to stop them, but talking about it is not going to help."

He did admit earlier of his elevation to the squad: "It was quite far from my mind, especially as I played most of the season for Tottenham as a midfield player. I have always seen myself as a defender. I am confident I can do the job, and this would be my chance to prove it. It's what all professional footballers dream about, so this would be a dream come true. Sven Goran Eriksson has shown great faith by putting me in the squad, so I'm determined not to let him down."

For Terry Butcher, whose first competitive game for his country was also against France in the opening match of a major tournament - the 3-1 win in Bilbao 22 years ago this week - "Ledley King is the future for England". The future, it seems, starts here.