November 15 – FIFA champions its World Cup as the most elite football competition in the world. However, only some elite players get to compete for the most coveted title in world football.
With limited spots in the World Cup, some players will inevitably miss the world cup.
The best player comparisons, football odds comparison, or country comparisons will have to feature participants and not those who missed out. So no chance for a Salah vs Messi comparison in a real life game in a major national team competition.
Here are five of the biggest names in world football who will not play in Qatar because their countries did not qualify for the finals.
Mohammed Salah (Egypt)
Mo Salah is one of the top 5 players in the world without question. A problematic run in African football saw him lose to his former teammate Sadio Mane at AFCON.
Salah could not again take his chance at redemption when it mattered most, as he lost again to Sadio Mane’s Senegal in the last round of qualifiers. For a player Mo Salah’s age, you can play only so many more World Cups. Salah will undoubtedly be missed in Qatar.
Jorginho (Italy)
After winning the Euro 2020, Italy was one of the favourites to make it to the world cup and contest for the gold. Jorginho was at the helm of it all for his country.
He surprisingly rose to the top of elite football after winning 3rd place in the 2021 Ballon D’or.
Sadly, Jorginho couldn’t live up to his hype by costing himself and his team a place in the World Cup when he missed two crucial penalties during the qualifiers, which led them to the playoffs. Then they experienced an embarrassing and unexpected defeat to North Macedonia.
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
The 23-year-old Napoli striker is regrettably part of the first Nigerian team to miss out on the World Cup since 2004. Despite his impressive form in the qualifiers, Osimhen could not help Nigeria find its way to Qatar. Nigeria missed out on the World Cup due to the away goals rule.
Despite being favourites to make it to the world, Osimhen and his side needed more chances to see them move on to Qatar. With his impressive form in all competitions this season, Osimhen is a big miss. However, a player his age has got a few more chances coming.
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
The Manchester City forward has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League for three years.
However, Algeria missed out on World Cup qualification through away goals in a 2-1 loss to Cameroon. Mahrez has been Algeria’s captain and talisman for several years and would have been downcast after failing to lead them to the first Arab World Cup.
Erling Haaland (Norway)
Half-man and half-robot, the goal scoring machine that is Erling Haaland will not be at the World Cup. Norway failed to get through qualifying in the cauldron of European competition.
It goes without saying that defenders would be heaving a sigh of relief with him not being in Qatar, but without probably the world’s hottest striker terrorising defences the World Cup is missing a true superstar.
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