Greece boss Otto Rehhagel announces final 23-man roster for World Cup

No surprises in the squad making the trip to South Africa for the Greeks. Otto Rehhagel stayed true to the players who paved the way for Greece's second World Cup appearance. The team is looking to bounce back after not qualifying for the 2006 World Cup and a poor performance in the 2008 European Championships (3 losses in 3 games), failing to put up a fight in defense of their 2004 crown. It’s amazing that 2 of the 3 teams in Group B were also in Greece's group at their last World Cup appearance in 1994 (Argentina and Nigeria). We are all looking for a better performance this time around and beside for favorites Argentina, the group is wide open for the final spot into the knockout round. This team looks to be better then in previous years with a great mix of youth finally blended into the squad, which will give the Greeks more pace and options. Greece will rely on defence to win games but they will also need goals and will rely heavily on Theofanis Gekas to provide them (led all players in qualifying with 10 goals). Sotiris Ninis has the speed and quality to attack the fast paced Nigerians and South Koreans, adding to the creativity of veteran Kostas Katsouranis in the middle and the dangerous set pieces by Giorgos Karagounis. Greece looks to be a threat from all fronts in South Africa.

Greece squad:

Goalkeepers: Michalis Sifakis (Aris Salonika), Alexandros Tzorvas (Panathinaikos), Kostas Chalkias (PAOK Salonika).

Defenders: Giorgos Seitaridis (Panathinaikos), Loukas Vintra (Panathinaikos), Evangelos Moras (Bologna), Socrates Papastathopoulos (Genoa), Sotiris Kyrgiakos (Liverpool), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiakos), Vasilis Torosidis (Olympiakos), Nikos Spiropoulos (Panathinaikos), Stelios Malezas (PAOK Salonika).

Midfielders: Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos), Alexandros Tziolis (Siena), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos), Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos), Christos Patsatzoglou (Omonia), Sakis Prittas (Aris Salonika).

Forwards: Angelos Charisteas (Nuremberg), Dimitris Salpigidis (Panathinaikos), Pantelis Kapetanos (Steaua Bucharest), Theofanis Gekas (Hertha Berlin), Giorgos Samaras (Celtic).