Stars staying at home
A look at the players who won’t light up Russia 2018
With Peru becoming the final team to qualify for next summer’s World Cup thanks to overcoming New Zealand in the last playoff game, the 32 teams have been confirmed. While that means joy for those booked on the plane, it amounts to disappointment for those who won’t be at the party. Plenty of players will never play in a World Cup finals – some of the best players to have played the game never got to grace the world stage – but there are several players who will be notable by their absence next summer because they represent countries that were expected to qualify.
Here’s the Global Times squad of 23 players that were expected to shine in Russia but will instead have next summer off to watch the Feast of football with the rest of us. It’s a shame because this 23 would be good enough to lift the World Cup.
Starting XI Gianluigi Buffon – Italy
The 39-year-old Juventus goalkeeper has defied age for several years but Italy’s playoff loss to Sweden has called time on his international career and dreams of adding another World Cup winner’s medal to his collection. Buffon announced his international retirement in the immediate aftermath of Italy’s disappointment and finishes as his country’s record appearance holder with 175 caps, having appeared at five World Cups.
Serge Aurier – Cote d’Ivoire
The Tottenham Hotspur fullback has impressed since his move from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer but he was disappointing for his country as The Elephants lost their final qualifying game to Morocco, who will go to Russia. Cote d’Ivoire have been at the last three World Cups with Aurier starring for the side in Brazil.
Leonardo Bonucci – Italy
The ball-playing center back’s form has suffered since he swapped Juventus for Milan at the start of the season, but he was back in the comfort of the famed BBC (with Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini) backline for his country. That wasn’t enough to prevent Sweden triumphing but at least at 30 this may not be his last shot at winning a World Cup.
Virgil van Dijk – The Netherlands
The highly coveted Dutch defender was the subject of much speculation in the last transfer window and would have been expected to add to his glowing reputation and glowing list of suitors at his first World Cup. Both Van Dijk and his Netherlands side now look towards Qatar in 2022.
David Alaba – Austria
Austria have been to seven World Cups but Bayern Munich’s utility man will have to wait for his first. Austria, who qualified for Euro 2016, finished fourth in their group despite the talents of individuals such as Alaba and West Ham United’s Marko Arnautovic.
Marco Verratti – Italy
The PSG pass master was unable to secure passage to his second World Cup and his struggles with injury were partly to blame for Italy’s disappointing qualifying campaign. The inheritor of Andrea Pirlo’s mantle as the metronome for the national team will have to wait to light up the world stage.
Gareth Bale – Wales
Fresh from their first appearance at a European Championship last year, hopes were high that Wales would end their 60-year wait for a World Cup. Much of those hopes rested on the shoulders of the Real Madrid man but sadly for the Welsh, Bale has struggled to stay fit and missed the final qualifier against Ireland and his country’s only loss of the campaign.
Christian Pulisic – US
One of the few bright spots of the US’ surprise failure to negotiate qualifying was the teenager’s rise to prominence and responsibility. Still only 19, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder will be expected to lead the US to the next few World Cups.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Gabon
Another Borussia Dortmund player who will have next summer off, the Gabonese hitman’s goals had seen Gabon impress at the last African Cup of Nations, but they were not enough to ensure a first World Cup for the country. A loss to Morocco sealed their fate with Aubameyang taking to Twitter to blame the result on pre-match orange juice.
Alexis Sanchez – Chile
The final round of qualifiers began with Chile on course to make their third finals in a row but a loss to Brazil saw them miss out on Russia 2018. Sanchez was the star man with seven goals in qualifying but that was not enough to prevent a surprise elimination for the Copa America holders.
Arjen Robben – The Netherlands
One of the best players at the last World Cup in Brazil and the previous one in South Africa where he finished as a losing finalist, the 33-year-old Robben is still in fine form for both club and country but retired from the international scene after the Netherlands completed their unsuccessful campaign. He signed off with both goals in a 2-0 win over Switzerland.
Substitutes
Miralem Pjanic – Bosnia Edin Dzeko – Bosnia Antonio Valencia – Ecuador Giorgio Chiellini – Italy Ciro Immobile – Italy Jan Oblak – Slovenia Arturo Vidal – Chile Faouzi Ghoulam – Algeria Riyad Mahrez – Algeria Wilfried Zaha – Cote d’Ivoire Naby Keita – Guinea Henrikh Mkhitaryan – Armenia