Philippe Senderos, Blaise Nkufo and Alexander Frei in South Africa

Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld named defender Philippe Senderos in his 23-man World Cup squad on Tuesday despite the defender's lack of first team action this season.

Hitzfeld stood by the players who helped Switzerland qualify for the tournament in South Africa. "He has always repaid us with good performances," Hitzfeld said of Senderos who is on loan at Everton from Arsenal.

The only major surprise was the inclusion of 18-year-old Kosovo-born Xherdan Shaqiri, a midfielder who has played one international. Switzerland face Honduras, Chile and Spain in Group H.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Diego Benaglio (Wolfsburg/GER), Johnny Leoni (Zurich/SUI), Marco Woelfli (Young Boys/SUI)

Defenders: Mario Eggimann (Hanover/GER), Stephane Grichting (Auxerre/FRA), Stephan Lichtsteiner (Lazio/ITA), Philippe Senderos (Arsenal/ENG), Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Steve Von Bergen (Hertha Berlin/GER), Reto Ziegler (Sampdoria/ITA)

Midfielders: Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Valon Behrami (West Ham/ENG), Gelson Fernandes (St Etienne/FRA), Benjamin Huggel (Basel/SUI), Goekhan Inler (Udinese/ITA), Marco Padalino (Sampdoria/ITA), Pirmin Schwegler (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Xherdan Shaqiri (Basel/SUI), Hakan Yakin (Lucerne/SUI)

Strikers: Eren Derdiyok (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Alexander Frei (Basel/SUI), Blaise Nkufo (Twente/NED), Marco Streller (Basel/SUI)

Reserves: Fabio Coltorti (Racing Santander/ESP); Francois Affolter (Young Boys/SUI), Fabian Lustenberger (Hertha Berlin/GER), Albert Bunjaku (Nuremberg/GER), Nassim Ben Khalifa (Grasshopper/SUI), Valentin Stocker (Basel/SUI)

Source: Reuters