There is no greater stage for the best footballers to showcase their skills than the World Cup, but a cohort of superstars will be absent in the US this summer. Some have been dealt crushing injury blows, others have been caught by father time, and a few from major nations simply failed to make the cut.
Trent Alexander-Arnold Among Notable Absentees
How many Real Madrid right backs have not been picked to go to a World Cup? That is Trent Alexander-Arnold's unfortunate fate. And while the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal are weighing up an £80 million move for relegated West Ham star Mateus Fernandes, he failed to make the Portugal squad. Our 'Absent XI' has an attack to rival any in the competition, worth £200 million combined, with a couple of Premier League forwards in there. So, who else makes the team watching the action from home like the rest of us?
Goalkeeper: Robert Sanchez
Sanchez looked like he would be on the Chelsea chopping block about a year ago, but his form for the Blues this season improved dramatically. He was a far more assured presence in the side despite the chaos of a dreadful campaign, with Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior both sacked. But he was never really going to get a look in with Spain, was he? Unai Simon is entrusted with the gloves for La Roja, and his back-ups are not half bad either.
Right-Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold moved to Real Madrid from his boyhood club Liverpool with the grand ambition of winning a Ballon d'Or. Those lofty goals were never likely to become reality, but to be snubbed by Thomas Tuchel is a savage blow. Alexander-Arnold's face never quite fit under Gareth Southgate, and while plenty of fans bemoan the absence of his creative spark from the England team, his defensive work is what counts against him. In terms of an 'absent XI', he is an absolute shoo-in for the right-back role, and there are not many more talented and uninjured players arriving in the US than the 27-year-old.
Centre-Back: Eder Militao (Injured)
Militao has been a massive loss for Real Madrid this season, and Carlo Ancelotti would definitely have picked him for Brazil, had he not suffered a recent hamstring injury. Militao's season was derailed by injury, and the news that he will need surgery after the latest setback is a bitter blow. At his best, Militao is one of the world's best defenders, but at least there is some high-quality cover for the Selecao. Two Champions League final starters in Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes will provide the foundation from the back.
Centre-Back: Dean Huijsen
Last summer, Huijsen was rewarded for one season of sparkling form at Bournemouth with a £50 million move to Real Madrid. The 21-year-old is one of the most promising defenders in the world, but Luis de la Fuente left him out. Huijsen reacted by sharing a post originally put on social media by his father, showing him among the top performers statistically in LaLiga. When asked about it, De La Fuente said: 'The thing is, I have no idea. I am not on social media. I understand that the player and his teammates who were not selected might be upset, but I also understand that there is an element of respect that must always remain.'
Left-Back: Lewis Hall
A toss-up between Luke Shaw and possibly the man who could replace him as Manchester United's left-back this summer. But over the whole campaign, Hall might have felt he had done enough to get on the plane. The former Chelsea academy star has developed brilliantly under Eddie Howe and is strong both with and without the ball. Tuchel has gone with Tino Livramento, Nico O'Reilly, and Djed Spence — a talented trio no doubt, but Hall is the outstanding left-back not going to the tournament.
Midfield: Eduardo Camavinga
While the French squad looks completely absurd in terms of talent on paper, especially in attack, Camavinga might feel hard done by. The Real Madrid midfielder was snubbed in favour of Roma's Manu Kone, team-mate Aurelian Tchouameni, and 35-year-old N'Golo Kante. Camavinga has not enjoyed a stellar campaign, and his positional play was called into question in the Spanish press. But the 23-year-old's athleticism, especially in the heat of the USA, could be a big miss for Didier Deschamps' side.
Midfield: Mateus Fernandes
Fernandes will not be plying his trade in the Championship next season, you can be pretty sure of that. The midfielder was a shining light for West Ham, who suffered a heartbreaking relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season. At 21, he is physical, creative, and brave on the ball — meaning the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal are sniffing around this summer. West Ham are likely to command a fee of around £80 million, having only signed him for £42 million from Southampton last August. Portugal's squad is incredibly strong, so he has missed out to the likes of Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Neves, and Matheus Nunes.
Midfielder: Cole Palmer
In the No. 10 slot of this absent XI, the man who scored for England in their last game at a major tournament. Palmer has paid the price for an injury-hit campaign and patchy form, with Tuchel enjoying an abundance of options for the same role at international level. The 24-year-old scored 10 Premier League goals in just 26 appearances this season but suffered with all the dysfunction at Stamford Bridge. He sees off competition from the likes of Xavi Simons and Paulo Dybala for a place in this team as the attacking midfielder.
Attack: Hugo Ekitike (Injured)
We are shoehorning the Liverpool forward into this side on the left of a front three. Ekitike started the season brilliantly, and to come away with 16 goals in all competitions was a solid start to life on Merseyside. But his season was cruelly cut short in the return leg of the Champions League quarter-final against PSG. Ekitike's Achilles injury ruled him out of the rest of the season, the World Cup, and a chunk of next season. It is one of the toughest injuries to recover from, and his absence will continue to be a source of huge anguish for himself, his club, and his country.
Attack: Joao Pedro
Chelsea's best player this season will be watching the World Cup from afar. The injury-ravaged Neymar and Brentford's breakout star Igor Thiago were preferred to Pedro, along with Endrick and Matheus Cunha. Pedro will feel aggrieved, especially after bagging 18 goals this season. Ancelotti even apologised publicly for the omission, saying: 'Of course, we are sad about Joao Pedro. Given the season he had in Europe, he probably deserved to be on this list, but, unfortunately, with all due awareness and respect, we chose another player. I am sorry for Joao Pedro and everyone else.'
Attack: Rodrygo (Injured)
While Brazil are never lacking in attacking options, Rodrygo would have been likely to earn selection if he was fit and playing for Real Madrid. But he ruptured his ACL back in March, and it immediately became clear that his World Cup dream was over. He described it as 'one of the worst days' of his life. The right winger wrote: 'One of the worst days of my life, how much I always feared this injury... maybe life has been a little cruel to me lately. I do not know if I deserve this, but what can I complain about? How many wonderful things have I experienced that I also did not deserve. A major obstacle has arisen in my life, in my career, preventing me from doing what I love most for a while.'
