Italy winger Mauro Camoranesi was a surprise inclusion in coach Marcello Lippi’s final 23-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa (Italy 3/ 4 to score eight or more goals in Group F).

Camoranesi, who helped Italy win the trophy in Germany four years ago, pulled out of altitude training in the Alps on Tuesday with a knee injury.

But Lippi has gambled on the damage not being serious, though he did not answer reporters’ questions concerning the make-up of the squad.

AC Milan striker Marco Borriello and Villarreal forward Giuseppe Rossi were left out the squad, while Fabio Quagliarella made the list.

Goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, defender Mattia Cassani and midfielder Andrea Cossu were the other players from a provisional 28-man squad to miss out on the trip to South Africa (Italy 9/4 to be eliminated in the quarter-finals).

Rossi was born in New Jersey to Italian parents and has dual citizenship. He played well for Italy at last year’s Confederations Cup, scoring twice in the opener against the United States, but struggled during the second half of this season with his Spanish club Villarreal.

Borriello scored 14 goals for AC Milan this season but plays centre forward, a position where Lippi prefers Alberto Gilardino, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Giampaolo Pazzini.

Nine players remain from the team that won the World Cup four years ago in Germany: Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta, Camoranesi, Daniele De Rossi, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Gilardino and Iaquinta.

Fabio Grosso, the left-back who converted the decisive penalty kick in the final against France four years ago, had already been cut two weeks ago after being named to the preliminary 30-man squad.

Italy have been training in Sestriere at 6,670 feet since May 23 and will depart for South Africa on June 8. The World Cup betting suggests they are in with a chance of repeating their appearance in the final four years ago.

The Azzurri have friendlies set up against Mexico in Brussels on Thursday and Switzerland in Geneva on Saturday.

At the World Cup, Italy opens against Paraguay on June 14 and will also face New Zealand and Slovakia in Group F.

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari).

Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan).

Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan).

Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Union Espanola’s Marin has won the battle for the third goalkeeping berth over Universidad Catolica’s Cristopher Toselli and will travel to South Africa alongside Real Sociedad’s Claudio Bravo and Miguel Pinto.

Atalanta midfielder Valdes and Colo Colo midfielder Aranguiz, who has just recovered from a knee injury, did not feature in qualifying, but both make the squad.

Flamengo midfielder Claudio Maldonado was not included despite getting over cruciate ligament surgery very quickly.

Universidad Catolica defender Hans Martinez and Osvaldo Gonzalez, who reached the Mexican Bicentenario semi-finals with Toluca, also missed out.

Squad: Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad), Miguel Pinto (Universidad de Chile), Luis Marin (Union Espanola); Roberto Cereceda (Colo Colo), Pablo Contreras (PAOK), Ismael Fuentes (Universidad Catolica), Mauricio Isla (Udinese), Gary Medel (Boca Juniors), Gonzalo Jara (West Brom), Waldo Ponce (Universidad Catolica), Arturo Vidal (Bayer Leverkusen); Charles Aranguiz (Colo Colo), Carlos Carmona (Reggina), Marco Estrada (Universidad de Chile), Matias Fernandez (Sporting Lisbon), Gonzalo Fierro (Flamengo), Jose Pedro Fuenzalida (Colo Colo), Manuel Iturra (Universidad de Chile), Rodrigo Millar (Colo Colo), Pedro Morales (Dinamo Zagreb), Rodrigo Tello (Besiktas), Jorge Valdivia (Al-Ain), Jaime Valdes (Atalanta); Jean Beausejour (America), Mark Gonzalez, Hector Mancilla (Toluca), Fabian Orellana (Xerez), Esteban Paredes (Colo Colo), Alexis Sanchez (Udinese), Humberto Suazo (Real Zaragoza).

Meanwhile, Juventus winger Mauro Camoranesi feels Italy (12/1 to win World Cup) have “a very strong squad for the World Cup and nobody wants to take us on.”

Camoranesi has had a poor campaign, but remains in Marcello Lippi’s 30-man preliminary list.

“This is a very strong Italy squad for the World Cup and if I look at our opponents, nobody wants to take us on,” said the 2006 winner.

“The other teams know they’d be facing a side that has lifting the trophy as its sole objective.”

The Azzurri are the reigning holders with many of the same players who were in Berlin four years ago.

“We feel in good shape and now need to work ourselves very hard indeed over the next two weeks,” continued Camoranesi.

“History tells us the favourites for the World Cup are always the same, basically: Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and France.

“On top of them Spain have proved they are very strong by winning Euro 2008 and will fight to the end.

“With Fabio Capello’s arrival, England have improved a great deal.”

ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.