World Cup 2026: These stars wont participate
These stars will not play at the World Cup
With the tournament approaching fast, several well-known players have already been ruled out.
Some will miss the World Cup because their countries failed to qualify, while others have suffered serious injuries.
Here are the stars we already know will not be part of the tournament this summer.
Dominik Szoboszlai
The Hungarian midfielder is one of Liverpool’s key players and captain of his national team.
Despite his influence, Hungary failed to qualify for the World Cup.
That means Szoboszlai will miss out on football’s biggest stage this summer.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
The Georgian winger, who plays for Napoli, has become one of Europe’s most exciting attacking players.
However, Georgia did not manage to secure qualification for the tournament.
As a result, Kvaratskhelia will not feature at the World Cup.
Benjamin Sesko
Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko has developed into one of Europe’s most promising young forwards.
The Slovenian national team was unable to qualify for the World Cup.
That leaves Sesko watching the tournament from home.
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Dušan Vlahović
The powerful Serbian striker currently plays for Juventus in Serie A.
Serbia failed to secure qualification for the World Cup.
Because of that, Vlahović will not get the chance to lead his country in the tournament.
Bryan Mbeumo
The Manchester United winger has been one of the standout players in the Premier League in recent seasons.
He represents Cameroon internationally, but the nation did not qualify for the World Cup.
That means Mbeumo will miss the tournament.
Rodrygo
The Brazilian forward plays for Real Madrid and has been an important part of their attacking line.
However, he suffered a serious injury earlier this year.
Because of that setback, Rodrygo is expected to miss the World Cup.
Victor Osimhen
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen is one of Africa’s most prolific goalscorers.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup despite high expectations.
As a result, Osimhen will not be part of the tournament.
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These stars are doubtful for the World Cup
Several other big names could still miss the tournament.
Some are currently dealing with injuries, while others depend on their countries qualifying through the play-offs.
Here are the players whose World Cup participation remains uncertain.
Neymar
The Brazilian superstar currently plays for Santos FC and remains one of the biggest names in world football.
He suffered a knee injury in December that raised serious concerns about his World Cup chances.
Although he has returned to action, he still needs to convince Carlo Ancelotti he deserves a place in Brazil’s squad.
Nico Williams
The Athletic Club winger was one of Spain’s standout performers during their Euro 2024 triumph.
However, he has been dealing with a groin injury since the autumn.
Reports suggest surgery could keep him out for months, putting his World Cup participation in doubt.
Mikel Merino
Merino plays his club football for Arsenal and is a regular part of Spain’s midfield.
In February he suffered a broken foot that ruled him out for an extended period.
With no clear recovery timeline, his World Cup chances remain uncertain.
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Jack Grealish
The Everton winger has been a regular part of the England squad in recent years.
In January it was confirmed that a foot injury would keep him out for the rest of the season.
That setback has left his chances of making the World Cup squad in serious doubt.
Marc-André ter Stegen
The experienced German goalkeeper joined Girona on loan from Barcelona.
Earlier this year he underwent surgery for a thigh injury.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has indicated that his situation makes a World Cup call-up unlikely.
Samu
FC Porto striker Samu is considered one of Spain’s most promising attacking talents.
In February he suffered a serious ACL injury.
Because of the long recovery time, he is very likely to miss the World Cup.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
The Maanchester City goalkeeper is Italy’s undisputed number one.
However, Italy still need to come through the play-offs to qualify for the World Cup.
If they fail to do so, Donnarumma will miss the tournament.
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Rasmus Højlund
The Napoli striker is one of Denmark’s most important attacking players.
Denmark must win their play-off matches to secure a place at the World Cup.
Failure to do so would mean Højlund misses the tournament.
Alexander Isak
The Swedish striker plays for Liverpool and is one of the Premier League’s most dangerous forwards.
He recently returned after breaking his leg in December.
Sweden must also qualify through the play-offs for Isak to feature at the World Cup.
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