Another beneficiary of Marco van Basten's willingness to call up young players, Babel was a surprise inclusion in the World Cup squad ahead of his Ajax team-mate Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the Eredivisie's leading scorer, and Bayern Munich's prolific frontman Roy Makaay. The pacy striker, who is also an accomplished winger, only made his first-team debut for Ajax in February 2004. Thirteen months later Babel marked his senior international debut with a goal in the 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory in Romania. The 19-year-old has remained on the fringes of the national squad ever since despite being one of many Ajax players to struggle for form during the club's disappointing 2005-06 season.