Arjen Robben and Ibrahim Afellay were today left out of the Netherlands squad for their UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers against San Marino and Finland.

Bayern Munich winger Robben has a groin problem while Barcelona's Afellay is suffering from a hamstring injury.

Coach Bert van Marwijk, whose team took over from Spain at the top of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking this week, has called up PSV Eindhoven winger Jeremain Lens as a replacement, although he remains hopeful Robben might yet make the Finland clash.

I am keeping the door open for him if his injury improves next week.
Bert van Marwijk on Arjen Robben

"I am keeping the door open for him if his injury improves next week," said the former Borussia Dortmund coach.

Van Marwijk also expressed his satisfaction at his side's new status in the world order. He added: "Normally I'm not interested in stats like that but this is different.

"This is based on our results over the last four years and it says something about what we are doing and that makes me proud."

The Netherlands meet San Marino at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven next Friday before travelling to Helsinki to face Finland four days later.

Netherlands squad:

Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma/ITA), Michel Vorm (Swansea City/ENG), Tim Krul (Newcastle United/ENG)
Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart/GER), Edson Braafheid (Hoffenheim/GER), Jeffrey Bruma (Hamburg/GER), John Heitinga (Everton/ENG), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia/ESP), Joris Mathijsen (Malaga/ESP), Erik Pieters (PSV Eindhoven), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax)
Midfielders: Mark van Bommel (AC Milan/ITA), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City/ENG), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan/ITA), Kevin Strootman (PSV Eindhoven), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven)
Forwards: Eljero Elia (Hamburg/GER), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke/GER), Luuk de Jong (FC Twente), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool/ENG), Robin van Persie (Arsenal/ENG), Jeremain Lens (PSV Eindhoven)