Rossi, who played in last summer's Confederations Cup, has been cut by coach Marcello Lippi along with goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, defender Mattia Cassani, midfielder Andrea Cossu and striker Marco Borriello.

The decision to drop Rossi means there will be no foreign-based players in Italy's World Cup party.

Among those who have made the final squad are Napoli forward Fabio Quagliarella and Genoa defender Salvatore Bocchetti.

Bocchetti's inclusion was the biggest surprise considering the 23-year-old has made just three appearances for the Azzurri.

As expected, there was no place among the 23 for AC Milan striker Borriello, who had not taken part in any of Italy´s World Cup qualifiers.

Juventus winger Mauro Camoranesi has been included despite sustaining a left knee injury during today's training session in Sestriere.

Camoranesi, a member of Italy's World Cup-winning squad four years ago in Germany, underwent tests this evening which ruled out meniscus damage.

He will miss Italy's next two friendlies but is expected to recover in time for the Azzurri´s World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 14.

The Azzurri will play friendly internationals against Mexico on June 3 in Brussels and against Switzerland two days later in Geneva as they round off their preparations for the tournament South Africa.

Italy are in Group F with Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia.

Italy's 23-man squad:

Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari); Gianluca Zambrotta (Milan), Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa) Midfielders: Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Gennaro Gattuso (Milan), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Simone Pepe (Udinese); Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria)