Three Lions coach Stuart Pearce has named 40 players in his provisional squad for this summer's European Championship finals, of which only 23 will go to Denmark.

Six players in the squad have represented England at senior level: Jack Wilshere, Andy Carroll, Danny Welbeck, Jordan Henderson, Micah Richards and Kieran Gibbs.

Pearce is confident of his side's chances, and that a successful tournament would help the senior teams chances in future senior World Cup finals.

"Football's about gaining experience at whatever level you have to play and when I look back over the previous winners of the U21 tournament over maybe the last 15 years, all of those winners, if you look a couple of years further on, their national sides at senior level have done particularly well," he said.

"I look at the Germans at U21 level, the champions two years ago, and their team went on to a World Cup semi-final. Italy went on and won it if you track back six or seven years - the U21s were champions twice in a row. The Spanish did the same. You have to be successful at these younger age groups to have any chance at senior level."

Provisional squad: Fielding (Blackburn), Loach (Watford), Steele (Middlesbrough), McCarthy (Reading), Bennett (Middlesbrough),  Bertrand (Chelsea), Gibbs (Arsenal), Jones (Blackburn), Mancienne (Chelsea), Mee (Manchester City), Naughton (Tottenham), Richards (Manchester City), Smalling (Manchester United), Tomkins (West Ham), Trippier (Manchester City),  Walker (Tottenham), Albrighton (Aston Villa), Cork (Chelsea), Cleverley (Manchester United), Davies (Bolton), Hammill (Wolves), Henderson (Sunderland), Howson (Leeds), Lallana (Southampton), Lansbury (Arsenal), McEachran (Chelsea), Muamba (Bolton), Rodwell (Everton), Rose (Tottenham), Sinclair (Swansea), Wilshere (Arsenal), Carroll (Liverpool), Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Hooper (Celtic), Rodriguez (Burnley), Sears (West Ham), Sturridge (Chelsea), Vaughan (Everton), Welbeck (Manchester United), Wickham (Ipswich).