SUNDERLAND midfielder Claudio Reyna has been told he will skipper the United States in their opening World Cup group match against Portugal this summer.

American coach Bruce Arena has included the 28-year-old former Glasgow Rangers player in his squad for last night's friendly against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin - but he has already decided that he wants Reyna to lead his team out in Japan and South Korea.

Arena said: "If Claudio Reyna is fit and healthy he will be my captain against Portugal in our opening game.

"I still have one or two decisions to make regarding the final squad, but Claudio will be in it."

Reyna, who plans to take a break from international football after the World Cup, believes that the U..S.A could be a surprise team in the competition.

He said: "We have some exciting young players and we are confident of progressing from the group stages.

"The World Cup is a fantastic tournament and I'm already starting to get excited about it."

But Reyna's prime objective over the next few weeks is to help secure their Premiership safety.

His two match-winning goals in the home game against Leicester City at the beginning of the month have indeed proved crucial as Sunderland battle to stay out of the drop zone.

But the £4.5m man will be missing from Sunderland's game at Charlton a week on Saturday as he served an automatic one-match suspension for his double booking and sending off in the home defeat at the hands of Liverpool.

l Sunderland's Republic of Ireland international Niall Quinn has received a Professional Footballer' Association Merit Award to recognise his 17 years in the game.

And tributes were paid to the veteran striker for organising a tribute game against Ireland at the Stadium of Light on May 14 which is expected to raise £1m for children's hospitals in Sunderland and Dublin.

Since Quinn's plans were revealed Leeds United defender Gary Kelly has decided to donate the receipts from his testimonial game to cancer charities.

PFA assistant chief executive Mick McGuire said: "These players are making a fantastic gesture.

"Players on high salaries have been criticised in the past for cashing in with a testimonial, so we are delighted to see players like Niall and Gary give something back to the game.

"I think players like Niall and Gary appreciate the fact that they are in a privileged position, playing football and getting well paid to do so, and this is a fantastic gesture."

Quinn will miss tonight's game at Lansdowne Road because of a neck muscle strain he received late in the game against Liverpool and is struggling to make Saturday's clash at Upton Park, where Sunderland will be trying to end a run of four consecutive defeat in London this season.

l Mick McCarthy yesterday voiced his opposition to England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's idea to stage fewer friendly internationals.

Republic of Ireland manager McCarthy believes friendly internationals help the development of younger players, and that little is gained by either himself or his players from get-togethers.

''Some of the friendlies we have played have enabled me to look at people like Alan Maybury, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane, Kenny Cunningham, Mark Kinsella and Lee Carsley,'' he said

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