Amsterdam: Netherlands coach Danny Blind has overlooked record goalscorer Robin van Persie in his latest preliminary 36-man squad as the national side aim to make amends for their failed Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
Netherlands host Greece in a friendly on September 1 in Eindhoven and meet Sweden in Stockholm five days later in their first World Cup qualifier.
They finished fourth in their European Championship qualifying group, missing out on the continental showpiece in France.
Van Persie, the 33-year-old Galatasaray striker, who has scored a record 50 goals in 101 internationals, has again been overlooked, while PSV Eindhoven midfielder Jorrit Hendrix has received a first call up.
Uncapped quartet Mitchell Dijks, Rick Karsdorp, Timo Letschert and Bart Ramselaar, who secured a move to PSV from Utrecht on Thursday, have also been included by Blind, who lost assistant coach Dick Advocaat on Monday when the 68-year-old unexpectedly quit his post to become manager of Turkey’s Fenerbahce.
Preliminary Netherlands squad: Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Jeroen Zoet (PSV), Michel Vorm (Tottenham), Maarten Stekelenburg (Everton), Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland), Daley Blind (Manchester United), Jeffrey Bruma (Wolfsburg), Virgil van Dijk (Southampton), Mitchell Dijks (Ajax), Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United), Rick Karsdorp (Feyenoord), Timo Letschert (Sassuolo), Jairo Riedewald (Ajax), Kenny Tete (Ajax), Joel Veltman (Ajax), Ron Vlaar (AZ), Jetro Willems (PSV), Riechedly Bazoer (Ajax), Jordy Clasie (Southampton), Jorrit Hendrix (PSV), Davy Klaassen (Ajax), Davy Propper (PSV), Bart Ramselaar (FC Utrecht), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray), Kevin Strootman (AS Roma), Tonny Vilhena (Feyenoord), Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool), Steven Berghuis (Feyenoord), Memphis Depay (Manchester United), Bas Dost (Wolfsburg), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Vincent Janssen (Tottenham Hotspur), Luuk de Jong (PSV), Jurgen Locadia (PSV), Luciano Narsingh (PSV), Quincy Promes (Spartak Moskow).
