PRAGUE, May 25 - Ranked number two in the world by FIFA, the Czech Republic hope to go one better at the soccer World Cup finals in Germany.

The Czechs had failed to make the finals since the former Czechoslovakia qualified for Italy in 1990, and had to win a knockout playoff against Norway to book the final spot in this year's tournament.

This is expected to be the last kick at the cup for a mostly veteran squad led by some of Europe's top players, giving their countrymen reason to believe that the Euro 2004 semi-finalists will take their first World Cup title.

Coach Karel Brueckner has adopted a 4-4-2 formation, allowing the Czechs to play a more aggressive style and to dictate the flow of game.

"We're in a position where other teams will have to fear us, not the other way around," said striker Milan Baros.

Leading the way will be a midfield anchored by Tomas Rosicky, who has just signed for Arsenal for 8 million pounds, 2003 European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky and Vladimir Smicer.

Rosicky, seen as a part of a new emerging Arsenal team after leaving Borussia Dortmund, is only 25, but the rest are well into their 30s and the World Cup represents their last realistic chance of an international success.

In reality that chance probably disappeared for them in Portugal two years ago, but they should still give a good account of themselves in Germany.

Poborsky is the most capped Czech player with 112 appearances for the national team under his belt while Smicer and Nedved are both 33.

Up front Baros is usually paired with giant Jan Koller. At 2.01 metres, the Borussia Dortmund player clears a lot of space for Baros to make his daring surges toward goal.

Koller is coming off knee surgery though and it remains to be seen if he will be back to full fitness in time for the finals.

In goal, the Czechs have little to worry about with Chelsea's Petr Cech -- the 2005 European Goalkeeper of the Year -- in command.

Cech has been outstanding for Chelsea for the last two seasons and could even emerge as the undisputed number one goalkeeper in the world if the Czechs have a good tournament.

"We're not in the role of favourites, but this team has the internal strength and character that is so much more important than individual talent," said Rosicky, whose second-leg playoff goal punched the Czechs' ticket to Germany.

The Czechs are in Group E along with the United States, Italy and Ghana -- three teams in the top 12 of the FIFA soccer rankings.

That is an eerily similar first-round grouping to 1990 when, as Czechoslovakia, they were drawn with Italy, the U.S. and Austria. They lost 1-0 in the quarter-finals to eventual winners Germany.

Czechoslovakia finished as runners-up in the World Cup finals in 1934 and 1962 and although that might be a step too far for this side, they could still be figuring in the later stages.

"I think there are several teams, maybe four or five, who have a chance at winning. I hope we are in there at the end," said Brueckner.