CZECH REPUBLIC : PLAYERS TO WATCH

Coaxed out of international retirement to boost the Czechs into the World Cup, midfielder Pavel Nedved, 33, the 2003 European player of the year, brought a unique mental toughness to the team. As good as he is, Nedved is injury prone. Petr Cech is arguably the world's best goalkeeper and the 2005 Czech player of the year. At 23, he is a baby in international keeper years, but has risen to the occasion. Forward Milan Baros is a prolific scorer (26 goals in 45 matches entering the winter). His partner in crime up front, Jan Koller (40 goals in 66 matches) is recovering from a knee injury and his status for the Cup is unknown.

ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Petr Cech (Chelsea/ENG), Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Prague), Antonin Kinsky (Ramenskoye/RUS)
Defenders: Zdenek Grygera (Ajax/NED), Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan/ITA), Martin Jiranek (Spartak Moscow/RUS), Pavel Mares (St. Petersburg/RUS), Radoslav Kovac (Spartak Moscow/RUS), David Rozehnal (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Tomas Ujfalusi (Fiorentina/ITA)
Midfielders: Tomas Galasek (Ajax Amsterdam/NED), David Jarolim (Hamburg/GER), Pavel Nedved (Juventus/ITA), Karel Poborsky (Ceske Budejovice), Jan Polak (Nuremberg/GER), Jaroslav Plasil (Monaco/FRA), Tomas Rosicky (Dortmund/GER), Vladimir Smicer (Bordeaux/FRA)
Forwards: Milan Baros (Aston Villa/ENG), Marek Heinz (Galatasaray/TUR), Jan Koller (Dortmund/GER), Vratislav Lokvenc (Salzbourg/AUT), Jiri Stajner (Hanover/GER).