R. van Nistelrooy and M. van Bommel not invited to the national team © EuroFootball.com

The coach of the Dutch national team, Marco van Basten, did not include Ruud van Nistelrooy and Marko van Bommel in the team lineup for the 2008 European Championship qualifying matches. The Dutchman admits that he will most likely not invite these players to the national team in the future. "I never say never, but I don't think I will invite Mark and Ruud to the national team again. I want to maintain the trust of other players, and I value that more," said the Dutchman. M. van Basten named the surnames of the 22 players who will play against Luxembourg and Belarus on September 2nd and 6th. Veteran Dutch players did not appear in the friendly matches against the Irish national team at the beginning of this month, which M. van Basten's team won 4-0. Marco van Basten, at the helm of the national team, began to renew the team and "discarded" veterans Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, and Roy Makaay. Instead, he focused more on younger players like Wigan defender Denny Landzaat and Ajax forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The lineup also did not include Arjen Robben from Chelsea, who is suffering from a calf injury, but defenders Khalid Boulahrouz and Giovanni van Bronckhorst were invited to the national team, although they will not be able to play in the first match against the Luxembourg team. Dutch national team lineup: Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord) Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (Chelsea), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Tim de Cler (AZ Alkmaar), Urby Emanuelson (Ajax), John Heitinga (Ajax), Kew Jaliens (AZ Alkmaar), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn) Midfielders: Theo Janssen (Vitesse Arnhem), Nigel de Jong (Hamburg), Denny Landzaat (Wigan), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Wesley Sneijder (Ajax), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg) Forwards: Ryan Babel (Ajax), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Dirk Kuijt (Liverpool), Martijn Meerdink (AZ Alkmaar), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic)