Kalou knocked back again

Salomon Kalou's hopes of playing for Holland at the World Cup have been thwarted again.

Salomon Kalou's hopes of playing for Holland at the World Cup have been thwarted again after his latest appeal for naturalisation was rejected.

The Ivory Coast-born attacker has applied for Dutch citizenship and was looking to have his request processed in time for the World Cup finals.

In March, Kalou appealed against an earlier decision to decline his application, but Dutch minister Rita Verdonk knocked the youngster back.

Kalou took the case further, but a court in Rotterdam has agreed with Verdonk that the minister was correct to reject the player's appeal.

It appears the reason why Kalou's bid for Dutch naturalisation has not been fast-tracked is due to concern over his long-term future at Feyenoord.

His contract at De Kuip expires next year and the possibility of Kalou not staying in Holland did not aid his case.

Dutch coach Marco van Basten had been keen to include Kalou in his squad for the World Cup, where the attacker could have come up against his brother Bonaventure.

The elder Kalou represents Ivory Coast, but his younger sibling is anxious to play for Holland, although he will not get the chance to star for the Oranje at this World Cup.