Nuno Capucho - in Portugal's sqaud (Allsport)

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Vitor Baia's rehabilitation from career-threatening knee injuries was complete on Monday after the Porto goalkeeper was named in Portugal coach Antonio Oliveira's World Cup squad.

The 32-year-old former Barcelona keeper was only recalled to the international fold for the first time in almost two years last month for a friendly against Brazil.

Baia, who has 75 caps to his name, missed the whole of last season because of a damaged right knee and his appearances have been limited to 17 this season after he was ruled out of the early part of the campaign with problems with his left knee.

Uncapped Maritimo midfielder Daniel Kenedy is the surprise inclusion in the 23-man party.

The 27-year-old left-sided winger, who can also play as a left-back, has won the race among a host of young players to fill the berth left by the injured Simao Sabrosa.

Benfica winger Sabrosa was enjoying the best season of his career and was a cast-iron certainty for the trip to the Far East before injury cruelly ended his World Cup hopes.

The 22-year-old damaged ligaments in his left knee during an international friendly against Finland in March and was ruled out for six months.

That opened the door for Kenedy and the former Benfica graduate took his chance with a strong finish to the season, scoring six goals in 30 matches overall.

A delighted Kenedy said: "It was a surprise for me. I kept a little hope that I could be called and now I will do everything to prove to Antonio Oliveira that he did not make a bad choice.

"I think Portugal can do very well at the World Cup and it's the highest moment of my career."

Benfica's versatile defender Marco Caneira was another surprise in Oliveira's squad.

The 23-year-old, who has only one cap, said: "This is the highest moment of my career.

"I wasn't expecting this call, but I'm available to play wherever Antonio Oliveira wants me to."

Aside from Baia's call-up and the inclusion of Kenedy and Caneira, there were no other shocks in Oliveira's squad with star playmakers Luis Figo and Rui Costa also named.

And although Sporting Lisbon striker Ricardo Sa Pinto is ruled out of the reckoning through injury, the Portuguese will still have plenty of attacking power in Nuno Gomes and Bordeaux marksman Pauleta.

Oliveira will give his players a day off on Wednesday before they get together on Friday in Macau, where they will train before taking on China in a friendly on May 25.

Portugal, semi-finalists at Euro 2000, were drawn in Group D at the World Cup, alongside the USA, Poland and Korea.

Portugal's 23-man squad for the World Cup.

Goalkeepers: Ricardo Pereira (Boavista), Vitor Baia (Porto), Nelson Pereira (Sporting Lisbon).

Defenders: Abel Xavier (Liverpool), Nuno Frechaut (Boavista), Jorge Costa (Charlton Athletic), Fernando Couto (Lazio), Jorge Andrade (Porto), Roberto Severo Beto (Sporting Lisbon), Rui Jorge (Sporting), Marco Caneira (Benfica).

Midfielders: Paulo Bento (Sporting Lisbon), Petit (Boavista), Paulo Sousa (Espanyol), Manuel Rui Costa, Pedro Barbosa (Sporting Lisbon), Daniel Kenedy (Maritimo), Luis Figo (Real Madrid), Sergio Conceicao (Inter Milan), Capucho (Porto).

Forwards: Joao Pinto (Sporting Lisbon), Nuno Gomes (Fiorentina), Pauleta (Bordeaux).