Aragones confirmed the squad of 23 players without Bojan Krkic and Raul

Luis Aragones confirmed the 23 players who will be in EURO 2008 representing the Spanish National Team that will be playing in the Group D against Russia, Sweden and Greece .

The main absences are Bojan Krkic (FC Barcelona), tired, and Raul Gonzalez (Real Madrid). Aragones preferred Zaragoza’s Sergio Garcia. It is hard to believe that Bojan, who is only 17 years old, has resigned the National Team due to fatigue.

As a result, the teams with more players in Spain are Liverpool and Valencia. Here we have the complete squad.

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Manuel "Pepe" Reina (Liverpool), Andres Palop (FC Sevilla).

Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona), Juan Gutiérrez Moreno "Juanito" (Betis), Alvaro Arbeloa (Liverpool), Fernando Navarro (Mallorca), Raul Albiol (Valencia), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal).

Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona), Xavi Hernandez (FC Barcelona), David Silva (Valencia), Santiago Cazorla (Villarreal), Ruben de la Red (Getafe), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool), Marcos Senna (Villarreal).

Forwards: David Villa (Valencia), Sergio Garcia (Zaragoza), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Daniel Guiza (Mallorca).

Marco Van Basten updated the squad: he called Khalid Boulahrouz

You know, it is time to reorganize the teams, just as puzzles. Now it is Netherlands time because the original list from Marco Van Basten has changed. The coach decided to cut Ajax defender Urby Emanuelson, AZ Alkmaar's Kew Jaliens, Valencia midfielder Hedwiges Maduro and PSV Eindhoven striker Danny Koevermans.

Also Clarence Seedorf (AC Milan) said goodbye, so he must be replaced by Khalid Boulahrouz who was part of the team during the World Cup Germany 2006 and was bought by Chelsea that year for a fee of £8.500.000, but he played only 8 matches defending Sevilla this season.

Here we have the updated Netherlands squad for EURO 2008:
Goalkeepers: Sander Boschker (FC Twente), Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United FC), Maarten Stekelenburg (AFC Ajax), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord).

Defenders: Wilfred Bouma (Aston Villa), Tim de Cler (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Ajax), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Mario Melchiot (Wigan Athletic), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers), Khalid Boulahrouz (Sevilla).

Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Orlando Engelaar (FC Twente), Nigel de Jong (Hamburg), Denny Landzaat (Feyenoord), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg), Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar).

Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic).

What a shock! Marko Marin called by Joachim Low. Timo Hildebrand not.

Marko Marin, who was born in Bosnia Herzegovina, admitted he was shocked by the inclusion in the Germany Squad for the EURO 2008.

But who is Marko Marin? Although he played In the U-21 team last year, this midfielder who is 19 years old didn’t play any cap with the “A” squad. By the way his performances in the Second Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach attracted Timo Hildebrand to be called surrounded by the 26 players that were chosen.

See the best of Marko here.

In the other hand, the Valencia goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand also felt a shock and he is surprised but because he wasn’t elected to play the EURO 2008. We are waiting his official speech in his blog.

Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Robert Enke (Hannover 96), Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen).

Defenders: Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Marcell Jansen (Bayern Munich), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04).

Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburger SV), Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), David Odonkor (Real Betis), Marko Marin (Borussia Monchengladbach).

Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich), Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke 04), Oliver Neuville (Borussia Monchengladbach), Patrick Helmes (FC Cologne).

Petr Cech is the captain; Pavel Nedved out

Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved was not included by the coach Karel Bruckner in the 23-member Czech national team for the EURO 2008. Also Brueckner announced that the captain will be Petr Cech or Tomas Ujfalusi. Tomas Rosicky, injured, was discarded few weeks before.

Before the tournament the Czech team will face Lithuania (next monday) and Scotland (on May 30th) both in Prague and during the EURO 2008 will share the Group A with Switzerland, Portugal and Turkey.

The squad:
Goalkeeper: Jaromir Blazek (FC Nuremberg), Petr Cech (Chelsea FC), Daniel Zitka (Anderlecht).

Defenders: Zdenek Grygera (Juventus), Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan), Michal Kadlec (Sparta Prague), Radoslav Kovac (Spartak Moscow), Zdenek Pospech (FC Copenhagen), David Rozehnal (Lazio), Tomas Sivok (Sparta Prague), Tomas Ujfalusi (FC Fiorentina).

Midfielders: Tomas Galasek (FC Nuremberg), David Jarolim (Hamburger SV), Marek Matejovsky (Reading FC), Jaroslav Plasil (Osasuna), Jan Polak (Anderlecht), Daniel Pudil (Slavia Prague), Libor Sionko (FC Copenhagen), Stanislav Vlcek (Anderlecht).

Strikers: Milan Baros (Portsmouth FC), Jan Koller (FC Nuremberg), Martin Fenin (Frankfurt), Vaclav Sverkos (Ostrava).

Zenit is the new UEFA champion; six players in the Russia team

Russia's football coach Guus Hiddink has named a provisional squad of 25 players for the Euro 2008. He included six players from Zenit Saint Petersburg making good use of the great moment of the team that defeated Glasgow Rangers in Manchester.

In the other hand the surprise was that Dynamo Moscow striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov has been left out.

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow), Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg), Vladimir Gabulov (Amkar Perm)

Defenders: Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Vasily Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg), Denis Kolodin (Dynamo Moscow), Renat Yanbayev (Lokomotiv Moscow)

Midfielders: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow), Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow), Dmitry Torbinsky (Lokomotiv Moscow), Vladimir Bystrov (Spartak Moscow), Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg), Sergei Semak (Rubin Kazan), Alexander Pavlenko (Spartak Moscow), Oleg Ivanov (Krylya Sovietov Samara)

Forwards: Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Spartak Moscow), Dmitry Sychev (Lokomotiv Moscow), Roman Adamov (FK Moscow), Ivan Saenko (Nuremberg).

Photo: F.C. Zenit Press

Mutu, Chivu and Marica lead provisional Romania Squad

Romania coach Victor Piturca has named 26 players who have chances to be part of the most difficult group of EURO 2008. They will play vs. France, Italy and Netherlands. Before the tournament the tricolorii will face the Montenegro Football National Team.

The 26 Romanians:
Goalkeepers: Bogdan Lobont (Dinamo Bucharest), Danut Coman (Rapid Bucharest), Marius Popa (Politehnica Timisoara).

Defenders: Cristian Sapunaru (Rapid Bucharest), Dorin Goian (Steaua Bucharest), Sorin Ghionea (Steaua Bucharest), Cosmin Moti (Dinamo Bucharest), Cosmin Contra (Getafe), Gabriel Tamas (Auxerre), Stefan Radu (Lazio), Razvan Rat (Shakhtar Donetsk).

Midfielders: Florentin Petre (TSKA Sofia), Paul Codrea (Siena), Razvan Cocis (Lokomotiv Moscow), Cristian Chivu (Inter Milan), Mirel Radoi (Steaua Bucharest), Ovidiu Petre (Steaua Bucharest), Nicolae Dica (Steaua Bucharest), Banel Nicolita (Steaua Bucharest), Adrian Cristea (Dinamo Bucarest).

Forwards: Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina), Ciprian Marica (VfB Stuttgart), Daniel Niculae (Auxerre), Marius Niculae (Inverness Caledonian Thistle), Florin Bratu (Dinamo Bucharest), Ciprian Deac (CFR Cluj).

Switzerland´s Kobi Kuhn named provisional Euro 2008 squad

Goalkeepers: Diego Benaglio (VfL Wolfsburg), Pascal Zuberbuhler (Neuchatel Xamax FC), Fabio Coltorti (Real Racing Club Santander).

Defenders: Philipp Degen (BV Borussia Dortmund), Johan Djourou (Arsenal FC), Mario Eggimann (Karlsruher SC), Stephane Grichting (AJ Auxerre), Stephan Lichtsteiner (LOSC Lille Metropole), Ludovic Magnin (VfB Stuttgart), Patrick Müller (Olympique Lyonnais), Philippe Senderos (Arsenal FC), Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt), Steve von Bergen (Hertha BSC Berlin).

Midfielders: Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Valon Behrami (S.S. Lazio), Ricardo Cabanas (Grasshopper-Club), Gelson Fernandes (Manchester City FC), Daniel Gygax (FC Metz), Benjamin Huggel (FC Basel 1893), Gokhan Inler (Udinese Calcio), Johan Vonlanthen (FC Salzburg), Hakan Yakin (BSC Young Boys).

Forwards: Eren Derdiyok (FC Basel 1893), Alexander Frei (BV Borussia Dortmund), Blaise Nkufo (FC Twente), Marco Streller (FC Basel 1893).

Henrik Larsson is welcome back to be the Ibrahimovich partner

Squads are coming and the surprises too. The 36-year-old forward Henrik Larsson was called by the Swedish coach, Lars Lagerback to play in the EURO 2008.

Henrik had said goodbye to the Sweden National Team when the 2006 World Cup finished, but the player that is representing Helsingborgs IF reply "yes" to the Lagerback call.

Many injuries during these weeks and the decision to have more experience in the team were the keys to have this great player that scored 36 times with this scandinavian t-shirt.

Larsson was named in 1995 as the best Swedish player in the history after being the most important player in the team that finished third in the World Cup 1994 in the United States.

Helsingborgs IF is the last Swedish club that play the UEFA Champions League and currently is 6th in the Swedish League. But now, his fans only enjoy that Henrik Larsoon will be international again.

Two friendlies will be very important for this legend who need more minutes beside Fredrik Ljungberg – injured - and the main star, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Slovenia on May 26th and Ukraine on June 1st, both at Nya Ullevi Stadion in Goteborg, will be the matches before the EURO 2008.

The Swedish squad

Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (Manchester City), Rami Shaaban (Hammarby), Johan Wiland (Elfsborg).

Defenders: Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa), Petter Hansson (Rennes), Daniel Majstorovic (Basel), Mikael Nilsson (Panathinaikos), Fredrik Stoor (Rosenborg), Mikael Dorsin (CFR Cluj), Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborg).

Midfielders: Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Kim Kallstrom (Lyon), Tobias Linderoth (Galatasaray), Fredrik Ljungberg (West Ham), Christian Wilhemsson (Deportivo La Coruna), Niclas Alexandersson (IFK Goteborg), Daniel Andersson (Malmo FF), Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham).

Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan), Johan Elmander (Toulouse), Markus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen), Henrik Larsson (Helsingborg), Marcus Allback (FC Copenhagen).

23 names for Croatia

Slaven Bilic named the official squad for the EURO 2008, resigning Eduardo Da Silva:

Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Spartak Moscow), Vedran Runje (Lens) y Mario Galinovic (Panathinaikos).

Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Manchester City), Dario Simic (AC Milan), Robert Kovac (Borussia Dortmund), Josip Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Dario Knezevic (Livorno), Hrvoje Vejic (Tom Tomsk).

Midfielders: Danijel Pranjic (Heerenveen), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Niko Kovac (Salzburgo), Luka Modric (Dinamo Zagreb - Tottenham), Niko Kranjcar (Portsmouth), Jerko Leko (Monaco), Ivan Rakitic (Schalke 04), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Pokrivac (Monaco)

Forwards: Mladen Petric (Borussia Dortmund), Ivica Olic (Hamburg), Ivan Klasnic (Werder Bremen), Igor Budan (Parma), Nikola Kalinic (Hajduk Split).

Germany and Poland could be very difficult without Eduardo. So, a victory in the first match against the host team, Austria, is very important for Croatia.

Maniche won´t be in Switzerland

Here we have the Portuguese squad named by Felipe Scolari few minutes ago. Maniche who represents Inter Milan, is not included.

Goalkeepers: Quim (Benfica), Ricardo (Real Betis), Rui Patricio (Sporting).

Defenders: Bruno Alves (FC Porto), Fernando Meira (VfB Stuttgart), Jorge Ribeiro (Boavista), Bosingwa (FC Porto), Pepe (Real Madrid CF), Miguel (Valencia CF), Paulo Ferreira (Chelsea FC), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea FC).

Midfielders: Deco (FC Barcelona), Petit (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (Sporting), Miguel Veloso (Sporting), Raul Meireles (FC Porto).

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United FC), Helder Postiga (Panathinaikos FC), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Nani (Manchester United FC), Nuno Gomes (Benfica), Ricardo Quaresma (FC Porto), Simao Sabrosa (Club Atletico de Madrid).

The tournament starts today

Interesting idea. For those fanatics who cannot wait until June 7th, we can say that EURO 2008 begins today. Why? Because tonight, Felipe Scolari will name the squad, 23 players who will be in Austria - Switzerland to play the EURO 2008 with the main idea to improve the performance realized four years ago, when Portugal arrived to the final match.

Maisfutebol will follow the Brazilian trainer nominations ao vivo to know the stars that will be in the tournament representing Portugal and to be able to be surprised because of some absences.

The link: http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/aovivo.php

Surprise! Hakan Sukur wasn’t in Turkish squad

What a revelation! What people suspected in our blog it was confirmed. Turkey coach Fatih Terim has named a provisional 26-man squad for the EURO 2008 and the striker Hakan Sukur wasn´t there.

The historical Top Scorer of Turkey National Team has been played eight matches during the qualifying and participated in the EURO´s 1996 and 2000 and the World Cup in 2002 when Turkey was third, but Terim thought about his present, not about his experience.

The squad includes seven players from the last Super Ligue champion Galatasaray AS and six from the runner-up Fenerbahce SK.

This month Turkey will play three friendly matches in Germany: against Slovakia (at the SchucoArena, Bielefeld), Uruguay (at the Rewirpower Stadion, Bochum) and Finland (at the MSV Arena, Duisburg).

The Turkey squad

Goalkeepers: Volkan Demirel (Fenerbahce SK), Rustu Recber (Besiktas JK), Tolga Zengin (Trabzonspor).

Defenders: Gokhan Gonul (Fenerbahce SK), Sabri Sarıoglu (Galatasaray AS), Gokhan Zan (Besiktas JK), Ibrahim Kas (Besiktas JK), Emre Asık (Galatasaray AS), Servet Cetin (Galatasaray AS), Hakan Balta (Galatasaray AS), Ugur Boral (Fenerbahce SK).

Midfielders: Mehmet Aurelio (Fenerbahce SK), Mehmet Topal (Galatasaray AS), Emre Belozoglu (Newcastle United FC), Tumer Metin (Larissa FC), Yildiray Basturk (Stuttgart), Hamit Altintop (FC Bayern Munchen), Ayhan Akman (Galatasaray AS), Arda Turan (Galatasaray AS), Tuncay Sanli (Middlesbrough FC), Kazim Kazim (Fenerbahce SK), Gokdeniz Karadeniz (FC Rubin Kazan).

Forwards: Nihat Kahveci (Villarreal CF), Halil Altıntop (FC Schalke 04), Semih Senturk (Fenerbahce SK), Mevlut Erding (FC Sochaux).

EDITED: defender Emre Gungor from Galatasaray was added to Turkey's preliminary European Championship roster. More info in Turkey Football.

Franck Ribery: sacrifice and explosion

France has many talented players. Benzema, Nasri, Henry… Nevertheless, they would not be so important if they did not have a player alongside with the style of Franck Ribery.

Ribery was born in the peripheries of Boulogne-Sur-Mer and when he was two years old he suffered a terrible accident that left him scars by life. Today the life smiles to him and he is one of the best midfielders of the world. Or, winger, function that is in extinction in the entire planet.

Been born in US Boulogne (today in Ligue 2), the Bayern Munich player is living a great moment in Germany where he obtained the Triple Crown. Only it lacked the international consecration, frustrated by the Zenit of Pogrebnyak.

Franck is a very complete player. He combines clears, good crossing passes, excellent dribbling and arrival to the goal area. Today he is an important soldier in the French squad that will have to surpass the Group C, the most interesting of the EURO 2008 those shares with Italy, Rumania and Holland.

France has many talented players and also Ribery, which will have the responsibility to lead each possession of the team.