Antti Niemi has come out of international retirement for the forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifier away to Belgium on October 13.

The Fulham goalkeeper quit the national team in 2005 after losing his place to Jussi Jaaskelainen, but coach Roy Hodgson has persuaded him to return with his number one custodian a yellow card away from picking up a suspension.

The Finns are second in Group A, and are involved in a four-way battle for qualification with Poland, Portugal and Serbia. They have never reached a major international tournament.

Meanwhile, striker Mikael Forssell has been left out after undergoing surgery on a sports hernia. The Birmingham man is expected to return to action in around a week but Hodgson has not risked him.

The full five-man Premier League contingent is Jaaskelainen, Niemi, Sami Hyypia, Teemu Tainio and Shefki Kuqi.

Goalkeepers: Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton Wanderers), Antti Niemi (Fulham), Niki Maenpaa (FC Den Bosch).

Defenders: Sami Hyypia (Liverpool), Hannu Tihinen (FC Zurich), Petri Pasanen (Werder Bremen), Toni Kallio (BSC Young Boys), Toni Kuivasto (Djurgardens IF), Ari Nyman (FC Thun).

Midfielders: Teemu Tainio (Tottenham Hotspur), Mika Vayrynen (PSV Eindhoven), Joonas Kolkka (NAC Breda), Markus Heikkinen (SK Rapid Wien), Jari Ilola (IF Elfsborg), Mika Nurmela (HJK), Jarkko Wiss (TamU), Daniel Sjolund (Djurgardens IF), Roman Eremenko (Udinese Calcio), Alexei Eremenko Jr (FC Saturn), Aki Riihilahti (Djurgardens IF).

Strikers: Shefki Kuqi (Fulham), Jonatan Johansson (Malmo FF).

AC / Reuters