Player profile

The former Chelsea defender can play at centre back or right back and makes the Netherlands squad despite not playing regularly at Stuttgart this season (just eight appearances).

Dutch-born of Moroccan origin, the 28-year-old will be playing at his second World Cup having also featured for Holland at the 2006 finals. He will be hoping for a happier outcome – he was sent off during the second-round elimination to Portugal for two bookable offences. While at Hamburg he picked up the nickname ‘Khalid the Cannibal’ for his uncompromising approach.

Boulahrouz joined Stuttgart in 2008 from Chelsea, following a year on loan at Sevilla. He joined Chelsea for £8.5m after the 2006 World Cup but failed to win over Jose Mourinho and was allowed to leave for Spain after just one season and 13 Premier League appearances. He started his career at RKC Waalwijk and also played for Hamburg between 2004 and 2006.

Boulahrouz played in all four games for the Netherlands at Euro 2008, despite initially being left out of Marco van Basten’s 23-man squad and only getting a call-up following an injury to Ryan Babel. During the tournament his wife gave birth to a prematurely born daughter, Anissa, who died shortly afterwards. The Dutch team wore black armbands against Russia as a mark of respect.