Arsenal's Eduardo called up for Croatia squad

By Alan Dawson, Special to SI.com, Goal.com

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Despite being out of action for almost a year, Croatia national coach Slaven Bilic has called on Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva to report for international duty.

Croatia has a friendly against Romania pencilled in for Feb. 11 and Eduardo may have a starting role.

The prolific finisher was sorely missed from Croatia's Euro 2008 campaign, and Bilic believes he has seen and heard enough to indicate that the Brazil-born Croatian is ready for first-team competitive action.

Eduardo was on the wrong end of a horrific Martin Taylor shin-high challenge last February at Birmingham's ground when he suffered a leg break.

His rehabilitation in Brazil though was a success and video's quickly circulated within three months of the leg-break showing the "Crozilian" jumping on a trampoline and kicking a ball.

Eduardo has made two appearances for Arsenal's reserves since returning to light training in November 2008.

Portsmouth's attacking midfielder Niko Kranjcar and Tottenham pair Vedran Corluka and Luka Modric have also been drafted into Bilic's squad.