The expanded 48-team format was speculated to make big-profile absences, however there are nonetheless a number of enormous names set to overlook out at this summer time’s match.
Regardless of 16 extra nations competing in North America than at any earlier World Cup, the checklist of elite gamers sitting at residence this summer time is so long as any in latest reminiscence.
Italy have missed out for a 3rd consecutive time, shedding on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina within the play-offs in what has grow to be essentially the most baffling recurring story in worldwide soccer.
Nigeria, Poland, Georgia, Hungary and Ukraine are among the many different notable non-qualifiers, and between them they’ve produced sufficient world-class expertise to fill a squad able to competing with the perfect in North America.
Right here is the perfect XI assembled from the gamers who won’t be there.
Lacking World Cup XI
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy)
Proper again: Mykhailo Zabarnyi (Ukraine)
Centre again: Alessandro Bastoni (Italy)
Centre again: Riccardo Calafiori (Italy)
Left again: Federico Dimarco (Italy)
Central midfield: Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary)
Central midfield: Nicolo Barella (Italy)
Central midfield: Sandro Tonali (Italy)
Proper wing: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
Striker: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
Left wing: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia)
The goalkeeper who has by no means performed at a World Cup
Gianluigi Donnarumma has received the Champions League, the European Championship and the Yashin Trophy, broadly considered the sport’s prime award for goalkeepers. He has by no means performed a minute of World Cup soccer.
The 27-year-old was 15 years previous when Italy final appeared at a World Cup. He’ll stay with out that have for a minimum of one other 4 years after Gennaro Gattuso’s facet fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties within the European play-off last.
For a participant of his stature, it’s a merciless hole on an in any other case exceptional worldwide report.
Italy’s defensive machine
Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori kind a centre-back partnership that any of the 48 nations in North America would welcome.
Bastoni has been one of the vital composed defenders in Serie A and the Champions League all through the season at Inter Milan. Calafiori, nonetheless solely 23, has established himself as the most effective left-footed defenders on the earth since his transfer to Arsenal.
Federico Dimarco fills the left-back place after a exceptional home season that produced 15 assists and 7 objectives from 38 appearances for Inter.
Mykhailo Zabarnyi, Ukraine’s composed and bodily defender, completes the defensive position. Ukraine didn’t qualify for the World Cup, ending a two-decade absence from the match that stretches again to their 2006 quarter-final run.
Midfield technicians
Dominik Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain and Liverpool’s relentless engine, is essentially the most helpful participant not at this World Cup in accordance with Transfermarkt.
Nicolo Barella and Sandro Tonali full a central three that may be among the many best midfields on the match.
Barella, like Donnarumma, has by no means performed World Cup soccer. He might be 33 by the point 2030 comes round, which means North America was virtually definitely his finest remaining alternative.
Tonali, nonetheless solely 25, brings an depth and technical high quality to the place that Italy have struggled to exchange at worldwide stage whatever the expertise obtainable.
Kvaratskhelia’s lengthy wait continues
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the standout participant of the Champions League this season and arguably the perfect winger in world soccer in 2025-26. He isn’t going to the World Cup.
Georgia completed a distant third of their UEFA qualifying group, behind Spain and Turkey, and Kvaratskhelia’s particular person brilliance was not sufficient to tug them over the road.
He should wait a minimum of 4 extra years for his first style of a World Cup, if Georgia can qualify in 2030.
On the precise wing, Bryan Mbeumo offers this facet a mix of tempo, directness and a constant aim menace that Cameroon will spend the summer time ruing.
The striker debate
Victor Osimhen leads the road right here, although the argument for Robert Lewandowski on this place is equally legitimate.
Osimhen’s bodily dominance, motion and goalscoring intuition on the highest stage of membership soccer make him a pure match for a World Cup match, however he’ll spend the summer time on the sidelines after Nigeria’s play-off defeat.
Lewandowski, 37, was in tears after Poland’s qualifying marketing campaign ended and not using a place in North America. It was virtually definitely his final probability to play at a World Cup, closing out a profession during which he has been one of the vital prolific strikers within the historical past of the sport.
Selecting between them for the one striker place is the toughest name on this XI.
Who misses out?
The competitors for locations is fierce sufficient that a number of gamers of real world-class high quality couldn’t be included.
Jan Oblak, the Atletico Madrid and Slovenia goalkeeper, would problem Donnarumma in most different conversations.
Benjamin Sesko, Oblak’s Slovenia team-mate, is likely one of the most fun younger strikers in Europe. Dusan Vlahovic was Serbia’s talisman in a qualifying marketing campaign that finally led to disappointment.
Ademola Lookman and Carlos Baleba give Cameroon an attacking and midfield high quality that must be on the largest stage.
