Ronaldinho, Toni, Vieira among stars left in cold

Ronaldinho, Luca Toni and Patrick Vieira were among the soccer World Cup winners omitted from provisional squads for this year's edition in South Africa.

The 32 teams had until Tuesday to submit rosters of as many as 30 players to World Cup organiser Fifa, which must be trimmed to 23 by June 1. The tournament starts on June 11.

Two-time World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, who helped Brazil win its fifth World Cup in 2002, was not included in a 23-man squad announced by coach Dunga, instead being named on a separate list of seven stand-by players in case of injuries. Former Inter Milan striker Adriano did not make either list.

"There comes a moment when reason talks louder than the heart," Dunga said in comments on Fifa's World Cup website.

Toni, Italy's main striker at the 2006 World Cup and the 2008 European Championship, was overlooked by coach Marcello Lippi along with Juventus's Alessandro Del Piero.

Giuseppe Rossi was chosen as a seventh striker, while Roma forward Francesco Totti was not among those included following speculation he might come out of international retirement for Italy's defence of its World Cup title.

Manchester City midfielder Vieira, a former France captain and member of the 1998 World Cup-winning squad, failed to do enough to convince coach Raymond Domenech that he should go to South Africa.

"We have been following Pat for a while, hoping he could make it to the World Cup," Domenech said at a news conference posted on the French soccer federation's website.

"It's a difficult moment. We tried. He did too."

Striker Karim Benzema, who joined Real Madrid from Lyon for €35 million (Dh162.35m) 10 months ago, was not chosen after what Domenech described as a "difficult season" with the Spanish club.

The Senegal-born Vieira was visibly angered by the manner in which he had learnt of his omission – live on TV instead of receiving a phone call from Domenech.

Argentina coach Diego Maradona excluded Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso even after they helped Inter Milan reach this season's European Champions League final.

Real Madrid's Fernando Gago and Barcelona's Gabriel Milito were also omitted.

Maradona, speaking before naming his squad, said he wanted Barcelona's Messi to roam freely and not be tied down tactically while he was building a good defensive platform from which to launch Argentina's game.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.