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Proud dad Ruud set for Real berth

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MADRID, Spain -- Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy returned to the Real Madrid squad to face Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Tuesday, after becoming a father.

His wife gave birth to a daughter in the early hours of the morning, Real said on their club Web site on Tuesday.

Real coach Fabio Capello had called up Brazilian striker Ronaldo as cover after Van Nistelrooy was given permission to be present at the birth.

It is the first time Ronaldo has been included in a squad under new coach Fabio Capello since undergoing minor knee surgery on July 15.

The 30-year-old international has been training at the same level as the rest of the team, but was not expected to reappear until Sunday's Primera Liga clash against city rivals Atletico Madrid at the earliest.

Real are third in Group E behind Steaua Bucharest and Lyon after losing their opening game to the French side 2-0, two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Van Nistelrooy believes he was dropped from the Dutch squad by coach Marco van Basten after the World Cup for non-footballing reasons.

"I have to deal with this situation. It's Van Basten's vision," Van Nistelrooy said in an interview with Dutch weekly magazine Sportweek.

"It is a shame that the coach is not led only by the footballing qualities of players but also other things. I call it his 'I-like-you level'.

"If you don't want certain personalities in the squad, just say it. He always only says it has to do with footballing qualities, but that is not a plausible explanation," the former Manchester United player added.

Van Nistelrooy, who has scored 28 times in 54 appearances for the Netherlands, started the three World Cup group matches, scoring against Ivory Coast, but was left on the bench for the second round defeat to Portugal.

"Van Basten told me that I played three bad matches in the group stage," Van Nistelrooy said.

"I played poorly against Serbia, but if you judge my game against Ivory Coast as insufficient then it might be better if we don't work together" he added.

"I will never resign from the Dutch team but now I am talking about it in the past tense which is strange.

"I am still convinced that I belong in the team and the crowd has the right to see the best players of the country."

Van Basten will name his squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Bulgaria on October 7 and Albania four days later on Friday.


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Ronaldo has yet to play a match for Real Madrid under coach Fabio Capello.

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