Ruud left out of Holland squad

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been omitted by Holland coach Marco van Basten from his squad for next Wednesday’s friendly with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

The former Manchester United striker, who recently joined Real Madrid for £10.3million, was left out of the starting line-up for the World Cup last-16 match with Portugal which saw the Dutch eliminated.

He was in the original training squad named for the Republic match but did not make the final cut.

Wigan’s new midfielder Denny Landzaat has been included along with Ajax scoring prodigy Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who was controversially overlooked for the World Cup.

Squad: Van der Sar (Man Utd), Timmer (AZ Alkmaar); De Cler (AZ Alkmaar), Emanuelson (Ajax), Heitinga (Ajax), Jaliens (AZ Alkmaar), Mathijsen (AZ Alkmaar), Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven); De Jong (Hamburg), Landzaat (Wigan), Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Sneijder (Ajax), Van der Vaart (Hamburg); Huntelaar (Ajax), Kuyt (Feyenoord), Van Persie (Arsenal), Robben (Chelsea), Vennegoor of Hesselink (PSV Eindhoven).