Czech Republic head coach Karel Brückner has included several injured, but experienced players in his 23-man World Cup squad.

His biggest injury concern is former Liverpool midfielder Vladimir Smicer, who has a torn tendon in his leg but is still hoping to be fit for the Czech Republic’s opening match against the United States on June 12.

Striker Vratislav Lokvenc is recovering from a serious knee injury and is not fully fit, while key defender Zdenek Grygera of Ajax Amsterdam is also struggling with an injury.

There is some good news for the Czech's, with striker Jan Koller appearing to be coming back to fitness after a knee injury last September, which kept him on the sidelines until recently.

The 6’7” striker headed home two goals at the weekend for Borussia Dortmund to earn a 3-3 draw against double-winning Bündesliga champions Bayern Munich - his first full 90 minutes of play since undergoing surgery.

Koller will be joined in attack by another former Liverpool player, Aston Villa’s Milan Baros, Galatasaray’s Marek Heinz and Jiri Stajner from German side Hanover 96.

“As late as Friday and Saturday we were having our doctors examine players and we were still weighing various alternatives,” Brückner told reporters in explaining his squad selection.

The Czechs made it to the Euro 2004 semi-finals before losing to eventual champions Greece and Brueckner has called on most of the same faces to guide his team through a tricky group stage in Germany that includes Italy, Ghana and the Americans.

“I believe that the peak of this team will come at the right time, at the World Cup. This team has its own character, its own face,” said Brueckner.

The players missing from the Euro 2004 squad were defenders Tomas Huebschman and Rene Bolf, and midfielders Roman Tyce and Stepan Vachousek.

Spartak Moscow’s Radoslav Kovac, SV Hamburg’s David Jarolim, Jan Polak from Nüremburg and Hanover 96 striker Jiri Stajner will take their places.

Czech Republic have been drawn in Group E, alongside Italy, Ghana and the USA.

Czech Republic squad for 2006 World Cup Finals, Germany:

Goalkeepers: Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Prague), Petr Cech (Chelsea), Antonin Kinsky (Saturn Ramenskoye)

Defenders: Zdenek Grygera (Ajax Amsterdam), Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan), Martin Jiranek (Spartak Moscow), Radoslav Kovac (Spartak Moscow), Pavel Mares (Zenit St Petersburg), David Rozehnal (Paris St Germain), Tomas Ujfalusi (Fiorentina)

Midfielders: Tomas Galasek (Ajax Amsterdam), David Jarolim (Hamburg SV), Pavel Nedved (Juventus), Jaroslav Plasil (Monaco), Karel Poborsky (Ceske Budejovice), Jan Polak (Nüremberg), Tomas Rosicky (Borussia Dortmund), Vladimir Smicer (Girondins Bordeaux)

Strikers: Milan Baros (Aston Villa), Marek Heinz (Galatasaray), Jan Koller (Borussia Dortmund), Vratislav Lokvenc (Red Bull Salzburg), Jiri Stajner (Hanover 96).