Ruud van Nistelrooy was again left out of the Dutch squad on Friday when coach Marco van Basten named his 22 players for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Albania.
The Real Madrid striker hit out at Van Basten earlier this week, saying he had been dropped from the post-World Cup squads for reasons other than footballing ones.
Van Basten said it was not the end of Van Nistelrooy's international career.
"Now it is up to him to prove we are wrong," Van Basten told a news conference on Friday. "We spoke about it in the past and he knows how we think about him and we have heard his opinion."
"This was his reaction and his choice. It was not neat and stylish but I also have been a player and understand that this is a reaction from a disappointed player."
"However, with his experience he should not have done it like this. Unluckily for Ruud there is more competition up front than in our midfield."
Van Nistelrooy was dropped after the World Cup together with Mark Van Bommel, although the latter makes his comeback after missing three matches.
"Mark Van Bommel is doing well at Bayern Munich where he plays more regularly like he did at Barcelona," Van Basten said of his decision to recall Van Bommel.
The Dutch are top of Group G with six points after two matches, two above Romania and Bulgaria. They play in Bulgaria on Oct. 7 and Albania at home four days later.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Henk Timmer (Feyenoord), Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United).
Defenders: Urby Emanuelson (Ajax Amsterdam), John Heitinga (Ajax Amsterdam), Tim de Cler (AZ Alkmaar), Kew Jaliens (AZ Alkmaar), Joris Mathijsen (SV Hamburg), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Khalid Boulahrouz (Chelsea).
Midfielders: Wesley Sneijder (Ajax Amsterdam), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar), Nigel de Jong (SV Hamburg), Denny Landzaat (Wigan Athletic), Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich).
Forwards: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax Amsterdam), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Ryan Babel (Ajax Amsterdam), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic Glasgow), Arjen Robben (Chelsea).