Factbox: Greece

Colours: White shirts, white shorts and white socks.

Nickname: I Ethniki (the National)

Previous World Cup appearances: 1994

Best World Cup performance: Group stage 1994

Coach: Otto Rehhagel

Most capped player: Theodoros Zagorakis 120

Top goalscorer: Nikos Anastopoulos 29

Squad:

12-Alexandros Tzorvas (Panathinaikos). Goalkeeper. Born Aug. 12 1982. Caps 8. Goals 0.
Won the Greek championship and Cup double this season and appears to be leading the race for the number one spot. Played in both of Greece's final friendly matches before World Cup.

13-Michalis Sifakis (Aris Salonika). Goalkeeper. Born Sept. 9 1984. Caps 2. Goals 0.
At 25, the youngest of the three keepers. Sifakis is a spectacular and lightning-quick keeper but lacks international experience.

1-Kostas Chalkias (PAOK Salonika). Goalkeeper. Born May 30 1974. Caps 27. Goals 0.
Long in the shadow of Antonis Nikopolidis in the national team, Halkias has struggled to maintain a consistently high standard. Mistake-prone with high balls and at set pieces.

11-Loukas Vyntra (Panathinaikos). Defender. Born Feb. 5 1981. Caps 29. Goals 0.
A tall, skilful defender who likes to push forward down the wing. Has played a more central defensive role in recent seasons. Born in the Czech Republic and moved to Greece at the age of nine.

16-Sotiris Kyrgiakos (Liverpool). Defender. Born July 23 1979. Caps 58. Goals 4.
The heart and soul of the Greek defence, the powerful Kyrgiakos is also attack-minded and is dangerous with headers from set pieces. The pony-tailed defender can be reckless and has more than once been sent off in crucial games.

3-Christos Patsatzoglou (Omonia). Midfielder. Born March 19 1979. Caps 43. Goals 1.
Experienced player who can also be deployed in a holding midfield role. Has good ball skills and a powerful shot. A versatile tool for Greece.

2-Giourkas Seitaridis (Panathinaikos). Defender. Born June 4 1981. Caps 69. Goals 1.
Has played irregularly in an injury-plagued season and has received a last-minute call-up with his experience swinging the decision. Part of the Euro 2004-winning team, has been out of form for two seasons. His sprints down the wings are nowadays a rare sight.

8-Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiakos). Defender. Born May 3 1984. Caps 14. Goals 0.
Hard-working, intelligent defender, Papadopoulos has quickly built a name for himself. His hard tackling often leads to problems with referees.

19-Socratis Papastathopoulos (Genoa). Defender. Born June 9 1988. Caps 10. Goals 0.
The other half of Greece's tall central defence. Has moved to Serie A where his skills and authority are in great demand.

4-Nikos Spyropoulos (Panathinaikos). Defender. Born Oct. 10 1983. Caps 19. Goals 0.
The diminutive left-back is on the rise after establishing himself with Panathinaikos. Arguably the most creative player in that position, he can also switch to the other side. Likes to carry the ball forward.

5-Vangelis Moras (Bologna). Defender. Born Aug. 26 1981. Caps 11. Goals 0.
One of coach Otto Rehhagel's 'Twin towers', a feature in almost all the teams he has managed. At 1.94 metres, Moras is the backbone of the team and one of the reasons defensive order was restored during the qualifying campaign.

15-Vassilis Torosidis (Olympiakos). Defender. Born June 10 1985. Caps 26. Goals 2.
Strong in the air and skilful, Torosidis is equally comfortable in the midfield role he has often been asked to fill.

22-Stelios Malezas (PAOK Thessaloniki). Defender. Born March 11 1985. Caps 0. Goals 0.
An unexpected addition to the squad, the tall, 25-year-old central defender has been very strong for PAOK this season as the team battles for a Champions League qualification spot. Has yet to win his first cap.

10-Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos). Midfielder. Born March 6 1977. Caps 94. Goals 6.
The captain and undisputed leader of the team will finally get the chance to shine on the biggest stage. Veteran of the Euro 2004 title-winning campaign, he has the big-tournament experience and a never-say-die attitude. Can be deadly from set pieces and has a powerful right foot.

21-Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos). Midfielder. Born June 21 1979. Caps 69. Goals 8.
Another of the Euro 2004 winners left in the squad, Katsouranis commands authority in midfield and can slice open defences with one skilful pass. He is strong in the air and eager to get forward for set pieces.

18-Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos). Midfielder. Born April 3 1990. Caps 4. Goal 1.
Arguably the most gifted player of his generation, Ninis is a joy to watch in midfield. Vision, speed and skill will turn this youngster into a transfer target for major European clubs if Rehhagel gives him a starting spot. Has often been left on the bench in the past two years.

6-Alexandros Tziolis (Siena). Midfielder. Born Feb. 13 1985. Caps 19. Goals 0.
Tall and strong, Tziolis is equipped with a thundering right-footed shot. Had a successful stint at Werder Bremen before joining Siena where he has established himself this season. Enjoys playing a defensive midfield role but relishes the chance to venture forward.

23-Sakis Prittas (Aris Thessaloniki). Midfielder. Born Jan. 9 1979. Caps 0. Goals 0.
The holding midfielder was a surprise addition to the Greece team, rewarded at the age of 31 with a spot on the squad for his strong league performances and for helping to steer Aris to the Greek Cup final. A very physical and skilled player.

17-Fanis Gekas (Bayer Leverkusen). Forward. Born May 23 1980. Caps 47. Goals 20.
Rehhagel's biggest weapon in attack. Lightning fast and skilful, Gekas is a nightmare for defenders, capable of scoring from any position. Style is reminiscent of 1970s Germany striker Gerd Mueller. Top scorer in all European Zone qualifying groups with 10 goals from 12 matches.

20-Pantelis Kapetanos (Steaua Bucharest). Forward. Born June 8 1983. Caps 3. Goals 0.
Blond striker has made a name for himself with Steaua Bucharest. Strong but sometimes ponderous, he is a new addition to Rehhagel's squad.

7-Giorgos Samaras (Celtic). Forward. Born Feb. 21 1985. Caps 34. Goals 5.
Tall, long-haired striker who enjoys bursting down the left but has had a hapless spell at Celtic. Powerful in the air and a good dribbler but often wants to do it all alone.

9-Angelos Haristeas (Nuremberg). Forward. Born Feb. 9 1980. Caps 84. Goals 24.
Hero in Greece for his winning goal in the 2004 Euro final, Haristeas is long past his prime and had a fruitless spell at Nuremberg. His aerial ability, technique and Rehhagel's consistent support has won him a spot on the squad.
14-Dimitris Salpingidis (Panathinaikos). Striker. Born Aug. 10 1981. Caps 36. Goals 3.

The diminutive Panathinaikos forward won the domestic double this season and scored the crucial away goal against Ukraine in the World Cup qualification playoff that sent Greece through 1-0 on aggregate. A speedy and intelligent striker, he makes up for his lack of height with quick positioning in the box and a powerful shot.