By DPA,
Hoenderloo (Netherlands) : Defender Mario Melchiot recovered in time from injury to make the final cut at the expense of Khalid Boulahrouz when the Dutch 23-player squad for Euro 2008 was announced by coach Marco van Basten.
The Wigan Athletic defender Melchiot was able to take part in the full training regime over the past days which allowed van Basten to pick him Tuesday night instead of the Sevilla player Boulahrouz, who had joined the provisional squad as a precaution had Melchiot not been fit.
The star-studded Dutch squad features Manchester United’s Champions League hero Edwin van der Sar, Real Madrid aces Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben, Arsenal’s Robin van Persie as well as SV Hamburg playmaker Rafael van der Vaart.
But AC Milan veteran Clarence Seedorf refused to play and Bayern Munich’s Mark van Bommel has also long stayed away from the team of van Basten, who steps down after Euro to coach Ajax Amsterdam.
The Dutch, Euro champions in 1988, have two final tune-up games in the next days against Denmark and Wales.
They then go to the June 7-29 Euro tournament where they face 2006 World Cup finalists Italy (June 9) and France (June 13) as well as Romania (June 17) in a tough group C.
Dutch squad:
Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax Amsterdam), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord Rotterdam)
Defenders: Wilfred Bouma (Aston Villa), Tim de Cler (Feyenoord Rotterdam), John Heitinga (Ajax Amsterdam), Joris Mathijsen (SV Hamburg), Mario Melchiot (Wigan Athletic), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers)
Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Orlando Engelaar (Twente Enschede), Nigel de Jong (SV Hamburg), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid), Rafael van der Vaart (SV Hamburg), Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar)
Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax Amsterdam), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic Glasgow)