[WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN] Nwankwo Kanu, who starred on Nigeria's Olympic gold-medal team at the 1996 Atlanta Games, was among 30 players called into the Super Eagles' provisional World Cup squad by new Nigeria coach Lars Lagerback.

Kanu, who plays for Portsmouth, was one of eight players picked from teams in the English Premier League.

Lagerback, who took over for Amodu Shaibu after the Africa Cup of Nations and has never had the Super Eagles together, also called up brothers John and Peter Utaka.

Nigeria will hold a pre-World Cup training camp in England and then play friendly matches against Saudi Arabia in Austria on May 25, Colombia in London on May 30 and North Korea in South Africa on June 4.

Nigeria Roster:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Dele Ayenugba (Beni Yehuda FC), Bassey Akpan (Bayelsa United), Austine Ejide (Hapoel Petah Tikva)
Defenders: Taye Taiwo (Marseille), Elderson Echiejile (Rennes), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow) Onyekachi Apam (Nice), Joseph Yobo (Everton), Daniel Shittu (Bolton), Ayodele Adeleye (Sparta Rotterdam), Rabiu Afolabi (Salzburg), Peter Suswan (Lobi Stars)
Midfielders: Kalu Uche (Almeria), Dickson Etuhu (Fulham), John Obi Mikel (Chelsea), Sani Kaita (Alaniya), Lukman Haruna (Monaco), Ayila Yussuf (Dynamo Kiev), Peter Osaze (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Forwards: Yakubu Ayegbeni (Everton), Victor Anichebe (Everton), Chinedu Obasi (Hoffenheim), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg), Ideye Brown (Sochaux), Ikechukwu Uche (Zaragoza), John Utaka (Portsmouth), Peter Utaka (Odense), Victor Obinna (Malaga).