It would appear Ruud van Nistelrooy has an international future under Holland coach Marco van Basten after all as Real Madrid's new striker was today named in a 31-man squad for the friendly against the Republic of Ireland later this month.
Having fallen out of favour with the Dutch coach at the World Cup - Van Nistelrooy was forced to look on from the subs bench as Holland crashed out against Portugal - there had been doubts about his willingness to play under Van Basten.
However, Van Nistelrooy was today included in a provisional squad for the friendly at Lansdowne Road on August 16th alongside Arsenal's Robin van Persie, Chelsea's Arjen Robben and his former Manchester United teammate Edwin van der Sar, who has had a rethink about retiring from international football.
Van Basten said after their second round defeat by Portugal at the World Cup that Van der Sar had doubts about continuing and might opt to focus solely on United.
But a spokesman for the Dutch football association confirmed the 35-year-old was continuing with the side. Van der Sar won his 113th cap, a Dutch record, in their defeat by the Portuguese in Germany.
Steve Staunton, with just this friendly remaining before his side meet Germany in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, is due to name his squad next Tuesday while van Basten has indicated his selection will be further trimmed before they arrive in Dublin.
Meanwhile, Brazil will take on old rivals Argentina in a glamorous friendly in London. The match will be played at Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium on September 2nd.
The South American neighbours last met at the Confederations Cup final in Germany last year, when Brazil ran out 4-1 winners.
Next month's match will be Argentina's first since the World Cup, when they lost to hosts Germany on penalties in the quarter-finals. Brazil, who lost to France at the same stage, play Norway in Oslo on August 16th.
Holland squad:
Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord), Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United); Urby Emanuelson, John Heitinga (both Ajax), Tim de Cler, Kew Jaliens, Joris Mathijsen, Gijs Luirink, Barry Opdam (all AZ Alkmaar), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Khalid Boulahrouz (Hamburg), Jan Kromkamp (Liverpool), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven); Hedwiges Maduro, Wesley Sneijder (both Ajax), Stijn Schaars (AZ), Mark van Bommel (Barcelona), Nigel de Jong, Rafael van der Vaart (both Hamburg), George Boateng (Middlesbrough), Denny Landzaat (Wigan); Ryan Babel, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (both Ajax), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Chelsea), Romeo Castelen, Dirk Kuyt (both Feyenoord), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (PSV Eindhoven).
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