Jermain Defoe has flown home to London after the striker was rocked by the news that his father Jimmy has died following his battle with throat cancer.
The Tottenham star could now miss the opening game against France on Monday due to the bereavement with the 29-year-old granted permission to leave England's base in Poland to be with his family.
Defoe was part of manager Roy Hodgson's 23-man party who arrived in Krakow on Wednesday but is expected to return 'in due course'.
Returning home: Jermaine Defoe leaves England's hotel in Krakow (below) following the tragic death of his father, Jimmy
A statement from the Football Association read: 'England striker Jermain Defoe has returned home to England this morning following the passing of his father overnight.
'Jermain will re-join the England Euro squad in due course. There will be no replacement player called in.'
Defoe left England's hotel ten minutes before the rest of the squad boarded a coach for their first training session in Poland having only arrived in the country on Wednesday evening.
The Daily Mail has learned that England manager Roy Hodgson was 'aware' of the illness affecting Defoe's 47-year-old father and knew there was a possibility that the player might have to return home to be with family and friends sometime during the tournament.
Going back: Defoe, who departed Luton for Poland on Wednesday, will now fly back to London to be with his family
'Jermain's father had been ill for some time,' said an FA source.
'He had been treated for throat cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London for some time so this was not a bolt from the blue for Jermain.
'He was told the sad news that his father had passed away overnight and we made plans for him to fly home as soon as possible.
'Jermain is a strong lad and was quite pragmatic about events. Roy Hodgson felt it was right that he flew back immediately to be with his family.
Tragic: Defoe's father Jimmy has passed away
'He will miss at least two days of training prior to the opening match against France on Monday therefore we do not know if he will play any part in that game.'
As Defoe flew home his England teammates took part in a 'closed' training session in Krakow.
Joe Hart was asked about Defoe in a press conference and he said the squad would welcome the player back when he saw fit to return.
'We'll be ready for him when he wants to return,' explained the goalkeeper.
Eight years ago it was revealed that Defoe's dreadlocked father Jimmy, 39 — who split with Jermain's mum when he was a baby — was living on £53.05 a week benefit.
The jobless decorator lived in a small shared flat in Forest Gate, East London, just six miles from where his millionaire son was then living with his mother Sandra.
Jimmy was reportedly not receiving any financial help from Jermain but said at the time: 'I am so proud of him. He is a fantastic player. But we live in different worlds.'
Jimmy married Sandra in 1981 but the couple split soon after Jermain was born in 1982.
Defoe then stayed with his mother who has since remarried.
Tottenham passed on their condolences to the forward. A statement on the Barclays Premier League club's official website read: 'Jermain Defoe has returned home from the England squad base in Poland this morning after receiving the sad news of the passing away of his father overnight.
Doubt: The FA expect Defoe to return to the squad in 'due course' although it is not known whether he will now miss the opening game against France
'Everyone at the Club sends their sincere condolences to Jermain and his family.'
Tributes and message of support instantly poured out on social networking site Twitter.
Ipswich and former Arsenal forward Jay Emmanuel Thomas was one of the first to send his sympathies to Defoe. He posted: 'Rest In Peace Jimmy Defoe 7/6/2012'.
It is the latest family tragedy to hit Defoe. In 2009 he was left reeling after his 26-year-old half-brother Jade was murdered following an attack in east London before his grandmother passed away at the funeral.
Sombre: Deofe's England team-mates, including defender John Terry, began their preparations in Poland in the absence of the Spurs star
The FA and England manager Roy Hodgson will offer Defoe as much time off as he needs and still view the 29-year-old as a central component of the squad, even though he was unlikely to start against France.
It was Defoe whose goal against Slovenia in the last World Cup propelled England into the knockout phase, although he has been a peripheral figure for much of the European Championship qualifying campaign after scoring a hat-trick in the win over Bulgaria in September 2010.
With Wayne Rooney suspended, either Danny Welbeck or Andy Carroll will get the nod against the French, with Ashley Young expected to operate just behind.
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