Defender Wes Brown and goalkeeper Paul Robinson retired from England duty on Sunday just a day after being recalled to the squad, disrupting Fabio Capello's plans for Wednesday's friendly against Hungary.
The under-fire coach plans to use the match to usher in a new era following England's woeful World Cup campaign, pointedly dropping 13 of the 23 players that went to South Africa and lost in the second round to Germany.
After missing out on the tournament, Robinson and Brown - both 30 - had been brought back into the fold less than a month before qualifying begins for the 2012 European Championship.
A chaotic day for Capello began when Robinson, who was England's No. 1 at the 2006 World Cup, announced that he did not want to be behind Joe Hart and Ben Foster in the pecking order.
''Only now have I been able to make this decision as previously I haven't been in contention for selection,'' Robinson said. ''As a professional who wants to play every time I have the chance I don't see myself as a No. 3 or 4 keeper and find that role very frustrating. ... I feel it in the best interest of myself and my club Blackburn Rovers that I concentrate solely on my club football.''
Robinson's mistakes during the failed qualifying campaign for Euro 2008 cost him a place in the team. The last of his 41 England appearances was in a 2-1 defeat to Russia in October 2007.
But he was recalled on Saturday night after Capello decided to drop 40-year-old David James and Robert Green, whose blunder in the World Cup opener gifted the United States an equalizer.
Having heard Robinson's announcement in the morning, Brown - who didn't feature in Manchester United's team in Sunday's Community Shield at Wembley Stadium - in the evening went to tell Capello he also no longer wanted to play for his country.
Brown, whose England debut was against Wednesday's opponents Hungary in 1999, made the last of his 23 appearances against Egypt in March.
''After a lot of thought and with a very heavy heart, I have decided the time is right for me to retire from international football,'' Brown said. ''At the age of 30 I feel it is right for me to stand aside and let younger players come through, which allows me to concentrate on my club career.
''I regard it as an honor and a privilege to have represented my country at every level from under-15s upwards. I have always been very proud to play for England and wish them well in future tournaments.''
There was confusion on Sunday over Capello's decision to drop Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick from the squad, which now only has 21 players after Brown and Robinson withdrew.
While United manager Alex Ferguson had ruled Carrick out of the match on Friday, the player trained on Saturday in a public session and featured in the Community Shield victory over Chelsea.
And as Carrick went to collect his medal in the royal box, Capello appeared to gesture that he thought the player was injured and made a phone sign with his right hand.
Just beforehand, defender Ashley Cole was seen ignoring Capello's outstretched arm offering a handshake as he went up with his Chelsea teammates, although he appeared to be looking at the ground.
British media suggested the left back ''blanked'' and ''snubbed'' Capello.
