Barclays Premier League stars are set to grace the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Only six of the 32 participating nations have not named a Barclays Premier League player among their parties of 23 stars.
Italy, Slovenia, Japan, North Korea, Germany and Uruguay are the only countries not to have a current player from England's top division. Indeed, the Barclays Premier League is the best represented league at the FIFA World Cup, ahead of Italy and Spain.
Germany did have a Barclays Premier League representative but skipper Michael Ballack withdrew with a bad ankle injury picked up in the FA Cup final against Portsmouth.
Technically Jerome Boateng will become a Manchester City player on 1st July when he will hope to still be on World Cup duty having agreed a move from SV Hamburg.
And Slovenia named midfielder Robert Koren who has just been released by newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion.
REPLACE PLAYERS
Inevitably England have the highest number of Premier League players with all 23 of Fabio Capello's squad playing in the top flight. The coach is pinning his hopes on Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney to have completely recovered from his ankle injury, while Gareth Barry travels despite doubts surrounding his ankle.
They are followed by France and the USA on seven each. Nigeria have six following the withdrawal of John Obi Mikel through injury.
The preliminary squads were whittled down to 23 on 1st June. These names must all come from the squads already submitted.
However countries may replace players up to 24 hours before their first match - and these substitute names do not have to come from the initial list of 30.
That means there is still a chance for the likes of Ben Foster, Gary Neville, Ashley Young, Joleon Lescott or others to get a late call-up for the England squad.
Likewise Arsenal's Samir Nasri or Patrick Vieira of Manchester City could yet make the France squad after their slightly surprising omissions by coach Raymond Domenech who will be replaced by Laurent Blanc after the tournament.
With the likes of Rooney, Carlos Tevez and (fitness permitting) Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres on show, the 2010 World Cup looks set to be lit up by Barclays Premier League stars.
The Premier League will also be represented in South Africa by Howard Webb who will be England's refereeing representative with assistants Michael Mullarkey and Darren Cann.
For a full run-down of Barclays Premier League players at the World Cup and a preview of each pool, click on the group names below.
Group A - France, South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay
Group B - Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea, Greece
Group C - England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia
Group D - Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana
Group E - Holland, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Group F - Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Group G - Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast, Portugal
Group H - Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile
(Headline News Premier League, 2010)
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