World Cup 2014: Greece name Fulham striker Kostas Mitroglou in squad for Brazil despite just three times since January transfer

Mitroglou has failed to fire since his £11m move to Craven Cottage but scored three times in their play-off win over Romania

Kostas Mitroglou has kept his World Cup place after Greece cut their provisional 30-man squad to 23.

The £11million striker has failed to fire since joining Fulham in January but scored three times over the two legs of the World Cup qualifying play-off against Romania.

Three of the seven strikers from the initial selection were cut, with Dimitris Papadopoulos, Nikos Karelis and Stefano Athanasiadis the men to miss out.

Lingering injury problems rule out Olympiacos' Avraam Papadopoulos while fellow defender Nikolaos Karabelas, goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas and Kaiserslautern midfielder Kostas Fortounis were also omitted by coach Fernando Santos, who will step down after the tournament.

Greece World Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: Orestis Karnezis (Granada), Panagiotis Glykos (PAOK), Stefanos Kapino (Panathinaikos).

Defenders: Kostas Manolas, Giannis Maniatis, Jose Holebas (all Olympiacos), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Borussia Dortmund), Giorgios Tzavellas (PAOK), Loukas Vyntra (Levante), Vasilis Torosidis (Roma), Vangelis Moras (Verona).

Midfielders: Alexandros Tziolis (Kayserispor), Andreas Samaris (Olympiacos), Kostas Katsouranis (PAOK), Giorgos Karagounis (Fulham), Panagiotis Tachtsidis (Torino), Ioannis Fetfatzidis (Genoa), Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (Bologna) Panagiotis Kone (Bologna).

Forwards: Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK), Giorgios Samaras (Celtic), Kostas Mitroglou (Fulham), Theofanis Gekas (Konyaspor).

PA