PER Frandsen suffered World Cup heartbreak today when he was left out of Denmark's 23-man squad.

Despite a late run of impressive performances to help Wanderers' Premiership survival battle Frandsen failed to make the squad announced by coach Morten Olsen.

But there was delight for fellow midfielder Stig Tofting, signed from the Bundesliga earlier this year. He made the squad, along with former Wanderer Claus Jensen (Charlton).

It is the third successive World Cup Wanderers players have appeared after going 36 years without any representation.

Frandsen and Mark Fish (South Africa) played in France 98 and Jason McAteer represented the Republic of Ireland at USA 94.

Prior to that, Tommy Banks was the last player to carry the Bolton flag when he played for England when Sweden hosted the 1958 finals.

Youri Djorkaeff is also back in the running for defending champions France.

The Danish squad contained no big surprises and reflected coach Olsen's tactics of attack-minded and ball-possessing football with play focused on the flanks.

Olsen had planned to leave a few spots open as many key players were suffering from injuries and were uncertain to be ready for the World Cup.

But a string of players reporting fit for duty enabled Olsen to name the whole squad on Monday.

Jensen and Udinese's Martin Joergensen both played comeback games for their clubs this weekend after month-long injuries.

And Milan defender Martin Laursen and Tofting should also be ready in a few days even though they are still recuperating from injuries, Olsen said.

"All players are fit. They are under way with their physical training and can handle the job like everyone else," Olsen said.

Also on the list was forward Peter Loevenkrands, who has had a great season that was crowned by two goals that lifted his team Glasgow Rangers to a 3-2 win over archrival Celtic in the Scottish cup final this weekend.

Denmark will be captained by veteran left-back Jan Heintze, who will be one of the World Cup's oldest players. Heintze, with 82 appearances for the national team, turns 39 in August.

The squad contained only a few players from the team that reached the quarterfinals of the 1998 World Cup in France. Star strikers and legendary brothers Michael and Brian Laudrup, as well as goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel have retired.

However, younger players like striker Sand and talented winger Joergensen, both substitutes in 1998, have matured and given the squad a string of good results in past years.

Since Olsen took over in 2000, Denmark has won 11 games, drawn five and lost only two, with an aggregated goal score of 34-13.

The Red-and-Whites face a tough group this summer, including titleholder France, two-time winner Uruguay and African Nation's Cup finalist Senegal.

Denmark has one more warm-up game on May 17, hosting Cameroon before leaving for Japan two days later.

Denmark World Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: P Kjaer (Aberdeen), T Sorensen (Sunderland) J Christiansen (Vejle/Rangers)

Defenders: N Jensen (Manchester City), T Helveg (AC Milan), K Bogelund (PSV Eindhoven), M Laursen (AC Milan), S Lustu (Lyn Oslo), R Henriksen (Panathinaikos), J Heintze (PSV Eindhoven)

Midfielders: T Gravesen (Everton), S Tofting (Bolton), C Jensen (Charlton), B Steen Nielsen (Malmo), C Poulsen (FC Copenhagen), D Rommedahl (PSV), J Michaelsen (Panathinaikos), J Gronkjaer (Chelsea)

Strikers: E Sand (Schalke 04), P Lovenkrands (Rangers), JD Tomasson (Feyenoord), M Jorgensen (Udinese), P Madsen (Brondby)