Croatian coach Slaven Bilic has named his 23-man squad for their decisive Euro 2008 qualifiers against Macedonia on 17th and England on November 21st.

Defender Hrvoje Vejic, who plays for Russian club Tom Tomsk, is the only real surprise in the squad while Jerko Leko misses out through suspension. The uncapped Kalinic, Croatia's top league scorer with 11 goals after 14 rounds, will boost an attack dented by the absence of injured Parma striker Igor Budan and Dinamo Zagreb's Bosko Balaban.

Croatia top Group E with 26 points and a draw against Macedonia on Nov. 17 in Skopje will book a place in next year's finals.

 

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Spartak Moscow), Vedran Runje (Lens), Mario Galinovic (Panathinaikos)

Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Manchester City), Dario Simic (AC Milan), Robert Kovac (Borussia Dortmund), Josip Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Dario Knezevic (Livorno), Dino Drpic (Dinamo Zagreb), Hrvoje Vejic (Tomsk)

Midfielders: Niko Kovac (Salzburg), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Luka Modric (Dinamo Zagreb), Niko Kranjcar (Portsmouth), Jerko Leko (AS Monaco), Marko Babic (Real Betis), Danijel Pranjic (Heerenveen), Ivan Rakitic (Schalke), Jurica Vranjes (Werder Bremen), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dinamo Zagreb)

Forwards: Eduardo Da Silva (Arsenal), Mladen Petric (Borussia Dortmund), Ivica Olic (Hamburger SV), Nikola Kalinic (Hajduk Split)