Seedorf pulls out of Dutch provisional squad

Clarence Seedorf has pulled out of the Netherlands' provisional Euro 2008 squad, the Dutch football association (KNVB) said on Tuesday.

The AC Milan midfielder called coach Marco van Basten on Monday to inform him about his decision not to accept a possible invitation to the definitive squad for next month's tournament in Austria and Switzerland, a KNVB statement said.

"I was surprised by his announcement. I didn't expect it. I told Clarence that I respect him as player and human being but he made his decision," van Basten, who named a provisional 30-man squad including Seedorf last week, was quoted as saying.

The 32-year-old Seedorf made his Netherlands debut in 1994 and has won 87 caps, scoring 11 goals. He played in the three previous European championship finals and the 1998 World Cup in France.