SPL stars set for S Africa

Several SPL players are on their way to the World Cup following last night's FIFA deadline for each of the 23-man squads to be named for the tournament, which begins on June 11.

Rangers midfield duo DaMarcus Beasley and Maurice Edu are in the USA squad for the games against England, Slovenia and Algeria - who have included Ibrox defender Madjid Bougherra.

Dundee United goalkeeper Dusan Pernis has earned a call-up for Slovakia's first ever World Cup, which pits them against holders Italy, as well as Paraguay and New Zealand.

Hibernian defender Sol Bamba is among those selected by Ivory Cost boss Sven-Goran Eriksson. The Africans face Brazil, Portugal and North Korea in their tough-looking group.

Celtic striker Georgios Samaras is a regular for Greece and could face Parkhead team-mate Ki Sung-Yueng, who is in the South Korea pool while Landry N'Guemo has been selected for Paul Le Guen's Cameroon, who are up against Holland, Denmark and Japan.

Full-back Edson Braafheid, who was on loan to Celtic from Bayern Munich last season, is in the Holland squad and Michael McGlinchey, who spent time on loan at Motherwell last term, made the cut for New Zealand, who are in the Finals for the first time since 1982.

Others with SPL links include Greece's ex-Rangers defender Soti Kyrgiakos, who is now with Liverpool, while another former Rangers player, Craig Moore is in the Australia squad.

Holland's Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord) and Denmark keeper Jesper Christiansen (FC Copenhagen) also spent time at Ibrox while ex-Celtic and Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura, currently with Yokohama F Marinos, will also be there.

Italy World Cup winner Rino Gattuso of AC Milan was a Rangers player when the SPL began. Middlesbrough and New Zealand striker Chris Killen - an SPL player for Hibs and Celtic - is another set for action, as is Portugal's Pedro Mendes who joined Sporting Lisbon from Rangers.