This isn't a surprise at all but the biggest name so far that won't be going to a World Cup training camp is Ruud Van Nistelrooy.The Dutchman is 33-years-old which is ancient on a stacked team like the Dutch and he had retired from international football in 2008. Still, he was hoping to get on Bert van Marwijk's squad after he declared himself back for international play.
He transfered from Real Madrid to Hamburg in January and he has scored four goals in 10 appearances. Not exactly bulging the old onion bag like he did in his earlier days.
Van Marwijk, will meet his players in two separate two-day training camps next week, also opted not to call on players involved in the Champions League final.
That means Bayern Munich's Arjen Robben and Mark van Bommel and Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder will remain with their clubs.
Uncapped duo Jeremain Lens from AZ Alkmaar and Ajax's Vurnon Anita were given their first call-ups.
Van Marwijk will name his 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup on May 11.
Training squad: Sander Boschker (FC Twente), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Piet Velthuizen (Vitesse), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht); Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord); Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Vurnon Anita (Ajax), Otman Bakkal (PSV Eindhoven), Edson Braafheid (Celtic), Wout Brama (FC Twente), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax), Orlando Engelaar (PSV Eindhoven), John Heitinga (Everton), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), David Mendes da Silva (AZ Alkmaar); Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Eljero Elia (Hamburg), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Jeremain Lens (AZ Alkmaar).
When you look at that list, along with who's playing in the Champions League Final, it's easy to see why the Dutch are always a sexy pick to go far in any international competition. Could this be the year they finally go all the way to a World Cup title?
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