First squad named...

Croatia have become the first country to name their chosen 23-man squad for Euro 2008.

Coach Slaven Bilic, who has just signed a new two-year extension to his contract, produced no real surprises when he named the men he hopes will take the Henri Delaunay trophy back to Zagreb in July. The Croats have also named two youngsters who they will be taking to the tournament as reserves, players Bilic believes are future stars. The squad is...

Goalkeepers
Stipe Pletikosa Spartak Moscow
Vedran Runje Lens
Mario Galinović Panathinaikos

Defenders
Dario Šimić AC Milan
Robert Kovač Borussia Dortmund
Josip Šimunić Hertha Berlin
Vedran Ćorluka Manchester City
Dario Knežević Livorno
Hrvoje Vejić FC Tom Tomsk

Midfielders
Niko Kovač FC Salzburg
Jerko Leko AS Monaco
Darijo Srna Shakhtar Donetsk
Niko Kranjčar Portsmouth
Luka Modrić Tottenham Hotspur
Danijel Pranjić Heerenveen
Ivan Rakitić Schalke 04
Ognjen Vukojević Dinamo Zagreb
Nikola Pokrivač AS Monaco

Forwards
Mladen Petrić Borussia Dortmund
Ivica Olić Hamburg
Ivan Klasnić Werder Bremen
Igor Budan Parma
Nikola Kalinić Hajduk Split

Reserves
Manuel Pamić FC Salzburg
Anas Sharbini HNK Rijeka

Bilic said, "We chose 23 players and we are also taking two youngsters. Not because we want to give them a chance to fit in or to thank them, but because they are young, talented and playing in the positions we need."

Croatia face Moldova in friendly matches later this month before their opening Euro 2008 fixture against Austria and Bilic will be hoping his players come through the next couple of games unscathed.

International Friendlies...

The UEFA.com Fantasy Football competition gets into full swing this midweek when the first phase of international friendlies before Euro 2008 commences get underway. To be in with a chance of winning tickets to the big tournament now is the time to get your entries in and pick up points right from the start.

Here is a list of this midweek's friendlies, with the Euro 2008 finalists in bold and links to the news pages of the Euro 2008 website for all the latest team news...

Belarus v Turkey
Romania v Russia
Denmark v Czech Republic
Austria v Holland
Poland v USA
Portugal v Greece
Sweden v Brazil
Switzerland v Germany
France v England
Scotland v Croatia
Spain v Italy

Looking at these fixtures and with ten of the sixteen Euro 2008 finalists facing each other it could pay to pick your line-up from the likes of Turkey and Czech Republic who will be facing sides who aren't planning for the summer and may well be building towards the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The other side who should come out on top, and where I will be finding the backbone of my team is from Holland, who face Euro hosts and expected, quite rightly so, whipping boys of the tournament.

Get picking your team and don't forget to get them entered into the YOYWTW Super League by using the code 52-10...GOOD LUCK!