Michael Owen's World Cup is over after he was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament in Germany. He could be out of action for up to five months after reportedly suffered cruciate ligament damage against Sweden.
The Football Association today confirmed the Newcastle player is on his way home from the England team's base in Germany.
Owen injured his right knee during the first minute of England's 2-2 draw against Sweden in Cologne and flew back to the team hotel in Baden-Baden ahead of an MRI scan this morning at the Max Grundig hospital at Buhlertal.
The 26-year-old missed the second half of last season with a metatarsal injury and Sky Sports reported this morning that he will now be out of action for a further five months.
Owen's England team-mates Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville were also at the clinic for scans, Ferdinand on a groin injury he picked up in the Sweden game an Neville on the calf problem which has kept him out of the last two matches against Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden.