Ruud van Nistelrooy's international career appears to be over after the veteran striker missed out on Bert van Marwijk's 30-man preliminary World Cup squad today.
Van Nistelrooy, 33, hoped he had done enough to prove his fitness during a loan spell with Hamburg this season after an injury-plagued period at parent club Real Madrid.
But Van Marwijk said today he did not believe Van Nistelrooy will, at this stage of his career, recover to be able to find the sort of level that saw him score 33 goals in 64 international appearances.
‘I told him that we have followed him closely and admire his commitment and dedication to get to the World Cup’, Van Marwijk was quoted as saying by AD Sportwereld.
‘I believe that Ruud is fit, but after his lengthy knee injury he does not have time to get back to his old level.’
Also missing from the squad is young Vitesse Arnhem goalkeeper Piet Velthuizen with the more experienced Sander Boschker of Eredivisie champions FC Twente preferred.
The Netherlands provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa:
Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax Amsterdam), Sander Boschker (Twente Enschede), Michel Vorm (Utrecht).
Defenders: Vurnon Anita (Ajax Amsterdam), Khalid Boulahrouz (VFB Stuttgart), Edson Braafheid (Celtic), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg SV), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax Amsterdam).
Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Otman Bakkal (PSV Eindhoven), Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich), Wout Brama (Twente Enschede), Orlando Engelaar (PSV Eindhoven), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), David Mendes da Silva (AZ Alkmaar), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax Amsterdam).
Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Eljero Elia (Hamburg SV), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (AZ Alkmaar), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich).
