Top 10 Players That Will be Absent from World Cup 2022

Whereas club sides can strengthen their squads by signing new players twice a year, international teams are stuck with the players they have got. And while world-class footballers tend to congregate at a handful of clubs, they are spread more widely at international level.

Here are 10 of the best players absent from the World Cup 2022 hosted in Qatar this November and December.

1. Erling Haaland (Norway)

Erling Haaland has made a magnificent start to life at Manchester City. After scoring 86 goals in 89 games for Borussia Dortmund, it's going to be fascinating to see whether the striker could maintain that ratio in the Premier League. So far, he has exceeded it: Haaland’s first 16 appearances for City in all competitions yielded 22 goals. 

Unfortunately for football fans everywhere, Haaland will not be at the upcoming World Cup. Despite the 22-year-old’s five goals, Norway could only manage a third-place finish in their qualification group, behind the Netherlands and Turkey.

The World Cup will expand from 32 teams to 48 in four years, boosting the qualification chances of teams like Norway. Hopefully, we will see Haaland banging in the goals at the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

2. Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

Each FIFA confederation decides how to structure its World Cup qualification process, and Africa’s is arguably the toughest. To secure a spot in Qatar, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia first had to win a four-team group, then succeed in a two-legged play-off against another of the continent’s strongest sides.

Egypt were one of the sides defeated in those play-offs, as they went down to Senegal on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw. That means Salah, who finished fifth in the 2022 Ballon d’Or vote held last month, will not be at the World Cup.

The forward will be 34 by the time the next edition rolls around, which means we may never see a fully fit, peak-age Salah at the World Cup. He did participate four years ago but was still suffering from the effects of a shoulder injury sustained in the Champions League final.

3. N’Golo Kante (France)

A key part of France’s World Cup-winning team in 2018, N’Golo Kante, has been ruled out of this year’s competition due to injury. The midfielder has struggled with his fitness for a couple of years now, so much so that Chelsea are reportedly considering letting him go when his contract at Stamford Bridge expires next summer.

His absence is a blow to Didier Deschamps, who will have to make do without one of the most accomplished ball-winners on the planet. Kante’s intelligence, experience and stamina made him one of the first names on the team sheet four years ago.

In Qatar, France will be looking to avoid the ‘holder’s curse’ that has seen four of the last five defending champions crash out in the World Cup group stages - including Les Bleus themselves in 2002.

4. Marco Verratti (Italy)

Italy won the European Championship last summer, beating England on penalties in the final at Wembley Stadium in London. It was a fantastic achievement that appeared to mark Italy’s return to the top tier of the international game following their failure to qualify for World Cup 2018.

Yet just a few months after their continental triumph, Italy once again came up short in World Cup qualification. Draws with Switzerland (twice), Bulgaria and Northern Ireland saw them finish second in their group before a stunning 1-0 defeat by North Macedonia in the play-off semi-finals.

As such, Marco Verratti - one of the best central midfielders around - will miss out on the World Cup, together with his PSG and Italy team-mate Gianluigi Donnarumma and other stars like Federico Chiesa and Nicolo Barella. Verratti will hope to still be a regular starter in 2026 when he will be 32. 

5. Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)

Napoli have been one of the success stories of the European season to date. Unbeaten and top of the table in Serie A, they also turned in some magnificent performances in the Champions League, finishing first in a tough group containing Liverpool, Ajax and Rangers. 

Osimhen has been battling injury in recent months but has still managed to contribute eight goals in 11 games, further underlining his status as one of the best up-and-coming strikers around right now. He will not be at the World Cup, however, after Nigeria missed out for only the second time since 1994.

The Super Eagles secured a place in the playoffs by topping their group ahead of Cape Verde, Liberia and the Central African Republic. But Ghana got the better of them over two legs, advancing on away goals following a 1-1 draw on aggregate. 

6. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

This year has not been particularly kind to Algeria. The pre-tournament favourites to win the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of 2022 crashed and burned in the group phase, taking just one point from a possible nine against Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone.

A couple of months later, Algeria, who finished top of their World Cup qualification group ahead of Burkina Faso, Niger and Djibouti, were beaten in the play-offs by Cameroon, who advanced on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw.

As such, Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, one of Africa’s biggest stars, will not be travelling to Qatar this month. The tricky winger, now 31, will hope to still be a full international by the time World Cup 2026 rolls around, with Africa set to have nine guaranteed representatives in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

7. David Alaba (Austria)

One of the most versatile players in the world, David Alaba, has been deployed in various roles for club(s) and country in recent years: left-back, centre-back, left midfielder, central midfielder, and attacking midfielder. He will not be playing in any of them in Qatar, though, after Austria failed to earn one of Europe’s 13 qualifying berths.

Austria pushed Italy all the way in the last 16 of last summer’s European Championship, but they performed poorly in the qualification campaign for Qatar. Alaba and co. only finished fourth in their group, behind Denmark, Scotland and Israel.

They were afforded a second bite at the cherry in the playoffs but lost 1-0 to Wales in the semi-finals. Therefore, Alaba’s wait for a first World Cup appearance goes on, with Austria failing to qualify for every edition since 1998.

8. Luis Diaz (Colombia)

Colombia lit up World Cup 2014, particularly in the group stage, and were only narrowly beaten by host nation Brazil in the quarter-finals. Four years later, they reached the knockout phase once again, but they will be watching the upcoming tournament in Qatar from their sofas.

Colombia could only manage a sixth-place finish in South America’s marathon qualification competition, missing out on one of the four automatic spots by three points and the sole playoff berth by one point. Part of their problem was putting the ball in the back of the net: Colombia scored just 20 goals in their 18 matches.

That means Luis Diaz, who has enjoyed a fantastic first year at Liverpool following his move from Porto in the January transfer window, will not be playing in Qatar this winter. 

9. Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)

Arsenal sit top of the Premier League table at the time of writing, and Martin Odegaard will be essential to their title challenge. The attacking midfielder had a frustrating time at Real Madrid earlier in his career, but he is now benefitting from playing week in, week out in north London.

Arsenal fans might not be too disappointed that Odegaard is set to have six weeks off, but the man himself will no doubt wish he was about to jet off to Qatar. But despite having Odegaard and Erling Haaland on the same team, Norway failed to qualify.

Both Premier League stars will be approaching their theoretical peaks in four years' time. That, plus the fact that World Cup 2026 will feature 48 teams, means Norway should be reasonably confident of qualifying for the first time this century.

10. Paul Pogba (France)

Paul Pogba returned to Juventus in the summer for a second spell with the club, but he has yet to make his second debut in the famous black and white stripes. The midfielder picked up a knee injury in pre-season and initially decided not to have surgery before changing his mind and going under the knife.

Pogba was on course to return in time for the World Cup, but it was revealed recently that he must undergo more rehabilitation before he is ready to play again. As such, the 29-year-old will not be included in France’s squad.

That is a blow for the reigning champions. Pogba was inconsistent throughout his time at Manchester United, but he usually does the business for the national team.