Buenos Aires, Argentina: Argentina coach Diego Maradona has acknowledged he is going to have a difficult time finalising his 23-man World Cup squad.
Maradona told reporters Monday that it was going to be painful leaving some players off the squad. Since taking over in late 2008, Maradona has called up more than 100 players.
Two-time winners of the World Cup, Argentina plays in Group B with Greece, South Korea and Nigeria in South Africa.
World Cup teams must submit 30-man preliminary squads to FIFA by May 11 and the final 23-man squads by June 1.
"It's going to hurt to leave players off who have given it their all, or who are having a great season," Maradona said. "But they gave me a team and I have to select. When you have to make a choice, someone has to be eliminated."
Argentina struggled in qualifying despite having some of the world's best players, including Lionel Messi of Barcelona. One of the world's greatest players, Maradona has little experience as a coach and has been widely criticized for his tactics and his inability to decide on his best group of players.
"Relax, like I am," Maradona said. "We're going to have a team that knows how to wear the Argentine colors.
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