Best XI of football stars missing World Cup as countdown to kick-off reaches 60 days

Ed Griffiths
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:02 +0000

The 2026 World Cup lineup has been finalised, with 48 nations securing their places while 163 countries fell short in their qualification bids.

Italy's absence marks the most striking omission from the tournament.

The four-time world champions suffered a heartbreaking exit last month, losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off final.

This defeat extends the Azzurri's extraordinary World Cup drought to three consecutive tournaments, an unprecedented low point for one of football's most decorated nations.

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Beyond Italy, the European qualification process also saw Wales and Northern Ireland miss out on the tournament, alongside Denmark, Poland, Serbia, Greece, and Hungary.

African football will be without some of its traditional powerhouses, with Nigeria and Cameroon among 43 nations from the continent who failed to book their passage to the finals.

Jamaica's hopes ended in the inter-confederation play-off, where they were defeated by DR Congo in the final match.

South American nations Chile, Peru, and Venezuela were also eliminated, while Asia saw China, India, and the United Arab Emirates fall short of qualification.

GB News has built a starting 11-squad from some of the biggest stars who will be absent in North America.

Goalkeeper - Gianluigi Donnarumma

A player every England fan will remember from their Euro 2020 heartbreak, having won the tournament with Italy.

The shot stopper joined Manchester City in September 2025 for approximately £26million and has been a standout performer for the Premier League side.

Donnarumma is certainly among the best in the world and deserves a chance to compete for the biggest prize.

He comes off a 2025 in which he was crowned the winner of the Yashin Trophy and named The Best Fifa Men's Goalkeeper.

Left Back - Milos Kerkez

The rising star recently displaced Andy Robertson as the starter at Liverpool, joining the Reds from Bournemouth.

At 22-years-old, Kerkez missed out after Hungary let a late lead slip against the Republic of Ireland.

The £40million signing has made 28 Premier League appearances, scoring two goals.

Centre Back - Alessandro Bastoni

Widely considered among the best left-footed centre-backs in the world, Bastoni will not feature in the World Cup.

The Inter Milan defender has been heavily blamed for his national team not making the competition after receiving a straight red card in the 41st minute of the decisive World Cup playoff final.

He was among the Euro 2020-winning side and has multiple league titles with his club.

Centre Back - Riccardo Calafiori

The Arsenal defender will be widely rated by viewers of the Premier League.

Signing for the Gunners for a fee of £33.6million in July 2024, the Italian has been a key player in Mikel Arteta's success.

His side sits at the top of the Premier League and remains in both the Champions League and the FA cup, with fans daring to dream of the legendary treble.

Right Back - Dominik Szoboszlai

He is widely considered one of Liverpool's standout performers in a disappointing season for the defending Premier League Champions.

Valued at around £100million, he has been deployed by Arne Slot across various roles, including attacking midfield, right-wing, and right-back due to injury crises.

He recently scored a spectacular 30-yard free kick against Manchester City in February 2026, drawing comparisons to Steven Gerrard.

Centre Midfield - Sandro Tonali

Tonali is widely regarded as one of the most complete midfielders in world football, playing in the Premier League for Newcastle United.

Capable of playing as a deep-lying playmaker or a box-to-box midfielder, the Italian has been tipped to be on the verge of a big move in the summer.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal are understood to be keen on bringing him in as Newcastle potentially needing a big sale to comply with financial rules.

Centre Midfield - Carlos Baleba

Brighton's Cameroonian defensive midfielder has established himself among the Premier League's most exciting young prospects.

The 22-year-old arrived at the Amex Stadium from Lille in August 2023 for approximately £27million, brought in as the long-term successor to Yves Bissouma.

His playing style draws frequent comparisons to Bissouma, particularly his ball-winning capabilities and pressing intensity and possesses exceptional physical attributes, high energy levels, and an impressive ability to drive forward with the ball.

On the international stage, he helped Cameroon reach the 2025 AFCON quarter-finals but will not be featuring at the North American tournament in the summer.

Right Wing - Bryan Mbeumo

The Cameroonian forward completed a £65million move to Old Trafford from Brentford in July 2025, and has established himself as central to the Manchester United rebuilding project, claiming the Premier League Player of the Month accolade in October last year.

His first season at Old Trafford has proved highly productive following a career-best campaign with the Bees.

He netted 20 top-flight goals last season, and across six seasons he spent at his former club, he scored 70 goals in 242 appearances.

Left Wing - Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made the switch from Napoli to Paris Saint-Germain in January last year, with the French giants paying a reported around £60million for the Georgian winger.

The 25-year-old, affectionately known as "Kvaradona," is widely regarded as one of the best footballers in the world.

In just six months, Kvaratskhelia helped PSG clinch an unprecedented continental treble, featuring their maiden Champions League triumph.

The Georgian star found the net in the stunning 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the final.

Striker - Victor Osimhen

Since arriving at Galatasaray, the Nigerian striker has shattered records, netting 35 league goals to become the highest-scoring foreign player in a single Turkish campaign last season.

His performances prompted the Istanbul giants to secure him permanently for £75million last July.

No player in Galatasaray's history has reached the 50-goal milestone faster than Osimhen.

His debut campaign yielded an impressive 37 goals across all competitions, propelling the club to a league and cup double.

Striker - Robert Lewandowski

Poland's 3-2 defeat against Sweden in the World Cup play-offs last month prompted the national team captain to share a "Time to Say Goodbye" message on social media, signalling his likely international retirement.

Arguably the best player on the list to miss the tournament, he historically scored five goals in under nine minutes and is one of only five players to surpass 700 career goals and 100 Champions League goals.

His legendary career includes 10 Bundesliga titles, a Champions League trophy, and back-to-back Fifa Men’s Player and European Golden Shoe awards.