Missing out on a World Cup is a crushing blow for any player.
Some top footballers will miss the 2026 tournament through injury, Hugo Ekitike, Serge Gnabry, Rodrygo Goes, Kaoru Mitoma, Estevao and Xavi Simons to name a few.
But others have simply not been selected by their national team boss, and below we have created a full XI of star names who will be watching the World Cup from their sofas.
And you can keep up to date with everything from the tournament right here on NetBet Sport, with a wide range of World Cup odds and promotions. Visit our website for all the latest updates!
GK – Robert Sanchez (Spain)
Spain’s strength in the goalkeeper department means Chelsea No1 Sanchez has not been called up by Luis de la Fuente. Unai Simon, David Raya and Joan Garcia instead make up a formidable shot-stopping trio, which represents arguably the best goalkeeping contingent heading to the World Cup.
RB – Trent Alexander Arnold (England)
Alexander-Arnold played a peripheral role at Euro 2024, and his England career has never really taken off. After an indifferent debut season at Real Madrid, Thomas Tuchel opted to leave the creative right-back at home, instead selecting Reece James, Tino Livramento and – perhaps most controversially – Djed Spence. Will the Three Lions boss regret ignoring Trent?
CB – Harry Maguire (England)
Another bold call by Tuchel was to leave England veteran Maguire behind, despite his renaissance in a Manchester United shirt under Michael Carrick. Maguire has 66 Three Lions caps and bags of experience at major tournaments, and the inclusion of his old partner John Stones – who played just 1,144 minutes of football last season – makes the omission all the more bizarre.
CB – Marcos Sensei (Argentina)
Senesi was a standout performer in the 2025-26 Premier League, playing a key role in Bournemouth’s Europa League qualification. Senesi also contributed five assists in the English top-flight season, but Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has instead kept faith in 38-year-old warhorse Nicolas Otamendi. Interesting…
LB – Alvaro Carreras (Spain)
At the start of 2025-26, Carreras looked a shoe-in for the Spain squad, with many believing he could challenge Marc Cucurella for the starting spot. However, the Real Madrid defender’s form fell away somewhat, and he now faces a battle to win his manager’s favour – at both club and international level!
CM – Eduardo Camavinga (France)
Another Real Madrid player who will be watching the World Cup at home after an indifferent 2025-26 season. The 23-year-old remains a high-quality and versatile operator, though, and at such a young age, there is still plenty of time for him to make his mark at future international tournaments.
CM – Adam Wharton (England)
The decision to pick Jordan Henderson over Wharton is one which has attracted a lot of criticism. Henderson’s leadership qualities are well-known, but disregarding a young midfield metronome who starred in Crystal Palace’s recent Europa Conference League final triumph is certainly a risky move.
CAM – Cole Palmer (England)
Palmer’s absence from the World Cup squad did not come as a surprise, though you feel England may miss his ingenuity and guile – even if as just an option from the bench. With Phil Foden also failing to make the cut, the Three Lions do not really have an out-and-out playmaker in the ranks.
CAM – Emi Buendia (Argentina)
Buendia has evolved into something of a talismanic figure at Aston Villa, scoring four goals and registering six assists in the club’s successful Europa League campaign. Yet those performances were still not enough for a spot in Argentina’s squad.
FWD – Karim Adeyemi (Germany)
With Gnabry unavailable due to injury, Adeyemi looked nailed on for a spot in Germany’s squad. He scored 10 goals and registered six assists for Borussia Dortmund across all competitions in 2025-26, and his pace is a weapon which any manager would love. Well, apart from Julian Nagelsmann, it seems.
FWD – Joao Pedro (Brazil)
Pedro’s absence from Brazil’s World Cup squad is incredibly hard to explain. The Chelsea star scored 15 goals and registered five assists in the 2025-26 Premier League, but could not win the favour of Carlo Ancelotti. Harsh, it must be said, with Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli somehow picked ahead of Pedro.
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