World Cup 2026: Which star players will miss the tournament?

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Several high-profile football players will not participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America due to various reasons such as injuries or national team qualification issues.

One notable absence is Kvaratskhelia, a winger from Paris Saint-Germain, who will not attend the tournament as his country, Georgia, failed to qualify for the finals. This marks the first time he has participated in a major international tournament.

Another player missing out is Robert Lewandowski, a striker from Barcelona, whose national team, Poland, narrowly missed out on qualification. Lewandowski has played 165 games for Poland and scored 89 goals, but has only appeared at the World Cup twice with a last-16 finish in 2022.

Italy will also be absent from the tournament due to its failure to qualify for the third consecutive time. The team’s star goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and midfielder, Sandro Tonali, will not participate.

Nigeria is another country that has missed out on a spot in the World Cup 2026. The Super Eagles suffered a penalty shootout defeat to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the African playoffs, resulting in their exclusion from the tournament.

Additionally, France forward Ekitike will not be participating due to an Achilles tendon injury sustained while playing for Liverpool against PSG in April. The injury is expected to keep him sidelined until January 2027.

Lastly, Brazilian winger Estevao was set to make his World Cup debut but suffered a grade four hamstring injury while playing for Chelsea in April, ultimately preventing him from joining the team’s squad.

Source: Al Jazeera