Defoe completed the full 90 minutes in Spurs' final match of the season against Birmingham on Sunday and was then named as one of four strikers in Fabio Capello's 26-man squad.
However, Defoe has now picked up an injury, meaning he will not report for duty on Monday. Despite limiting Capello's striking options, the England boss has so far decided against calling up a replacement.
Capello has decided he has enough cover given he has most recently introduced Aston Villa's Ashley Young into a role behind a main striker.
On this occasion that forward role will almost certainly go to Young's Villa team-mate Darren Bent, who has scored on each of his last three international appearances. However, it is hardly an ideal scenario.
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney misses the game through suspension, whilst Liverpool duo Andy Carroll and Steven Gerrard have both been ruled out through injury.
It means aside from Bent, the only orthodox strikers Capello has available are Tottenham's Peter Crouch and Bobby Zamora of Fulham both of whom were substituted during their final Premier League games of the season due to injury.
Indeed, Fulham boss Mark Hughes suggested Zamora should not be considered for international duty until next season.
As Capello was also forced into a goalkeeping change on Tuesday, albeit one that makes his squad stronger following the return of Robert Green in place of David Stockdale - who is due to get married on June 3 - it is hardly the build-up to an important test the Three Lions chief would have wanted.
As well as showing how slender Capello's striking resources are, it reduces his options for a game England need to win in order to retain control of their own destiny in Group G.
Source: PA
Source: PA