Football fans were made to wait for four years and an additional few months, but the FIFA World Cup is finally here!
All eyes now shift to Qatar 2022 as 32 teams head to the Middle East to battle it out for the most prestigious trophy in the beautiful game, with the much-anticipated event taking place from November 20 to December 18. The hosts kick things off with their clash against Ecuador but the question on everyone's mind is who will win the ultimate prize.
Brazil, Argentina, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain enter this tournament with a who's who roster and are thus the favorites. However, despite this, several star-studded players are set to miss this competition.
Les Bleus are a great example as the defending champions will be without two pivotal players from the 2018 success due to injuries. Here's a breakdown of the best players that will be absent from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
N'Golo Kante
"About 71 % of the earth's surface is water-covered, the rest is covered by N'Golo Kante." This is a famous meme that best describes the Chelsea midfielder, an outstanding player who pops up wherever needed. Sadly, due to a hamstring injury, the 31-year-old will not be able to display his brilliance in what could have been his final FIFA World Cup tournament.
Paul Pogba
Not only will Deschamps be without Kante, but the France national team boss will be without Paul Pogba, the other midfield maestro from their 2018 success. The Juventus ace is yet to play a single game for the Italian giants and will now watch Qatar 2022 from his home as he continues his rehabilitation from a knee injury.
Timo Werner
This is a concerning one for Germany as they are not blessed with an array of clinical strikers. The former Chelsea attacker picked up an ankle injury during a game for his current side RB Leipzig. Whether Hansi Flick would have started Werner is uncertain, but his presence would have been beneficial.
Georginio Wijnaldum
After leaving Liverpool in the summer of 2021, things haven't gone well for Wijnaldum. However, for country, the Roma midfielder always delivered and was one of their key performers at Euro 2020. However, a heartbreaking leg break back in August ended his hopes of playing at the FIFA World Cup.
Ben Chilwell and Reece James
England are one of the favorites but the Three Lions will be without two influential full-backs. Chelsea duo Ben Chilwell and Reece James will both miss out, with the latter's injury sparking greater concern as the Blues academy graduate appeared destined to start in the right-back/right-wing-back role for Southgate.
Marco Reus
This is another heartbreaking one as Dortmund sensation Marco Reus will miss another major international tournament due to injury. This will be the fourth competition after sitting out Brazil 2014 as well as the 2016 and 2020 European Championships.
Why is it always Marco Reus pic.twitter.com/ivoLWPoUes
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 10, 2022
Diogo Jota
The Liverpool ace suffered a gutting calf injury in the final minutes of their 1-0 victory at home to Man City. This came as a huge blow to Portugal as Jota is seen as the most important attacker for Fernando Santos after the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo, and with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner struggling for playing time in the build-up to Qatar, Diogo could have been their unsung hero.
After such a good night at Anfield mine ended in the worst way ! In the last minute one of my dreams collapsed
— Diogo Jota (@DiogoJota18) October 18, 2022
I will be one more supporting from the outside, club and country, and fighting to be back as soon as possible
You'll Never Walk Alone pic.twitter.com/gKssZSnLZ1
Sergio Ramos
One of the greatest defenders of all time will, sadly, not get the opportunity to play in one more FIFA World Cup. However, unlike the others, the Real Madrid icon does not miss this tournament due to injury. Instead, Luis Enrique opted against calling up the veteran center-back, meaning Russia 2018 was his final farewell.
Thiago Alcantara
From one snubbed Spaniard to another, Thiago Alcantara failed to make the plane to Qatar despite being one of Liverpool's most influential players. Nonetheless, Lucho opted for Sergio Busquets, Rodri, Gavi, Carlos Soler, Marcos Llorente, Pedri, and Koke over the Premier League sensation.
Roberto Firmino
And Thiago wasn't the only Liverpool ace who suffered heartbreak as Roberto Firmino was not called up to the Brazil national team. Instead, Tite opted for Richarlison, Antony, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli as their Premier League representatives.
Jesus Corona
Over to El Tri, Tata Martino's side announced the unfortunate absence of Jesus Corona as the Sevilla winger failed to recover from his fibula fracture in time.
NEWS
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) November 8, 2022
Jesús Corona will not join our training camp ahead of #Qatar2022 due to his ongoing recovery from a sustained injury.
Be strong; we know you will make a great comeback. https://t.co/VDrOENOxSG
Erling Haaland
And now we shift to those who did not qualify for Qatar 2022, and there is no bigger name than Erling Haaland. The Manchester City superstar has been smashing records since joining the Premier League but will play no part in this year's FIFA World Cup after Norway failed to qualify, meaning he and countryman Martin Odegaard will rest throughout this period.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan is at the climax of his career but sadly, fans will not get to see Ibrahimovic in one last FIFA World Cup after Sweden's 2-0 loss to Poland in the playoffs. However, one thing is certain: Ibra will not miss Qatar 2022; Qatar 2022 will miss him!
Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini
Italy's failure to qualify was disappointing due to one huge factor: football fans would not get one last glimpse of the iconic Bonucci-Chiellini partnership. The absence of the Azzurri robs the tournament of several world-class names, namely Verratti and Donnarumma, but the aforementioned center-backs stand out the most. One cannot help but look back at Buffon's tearful goodbye and feel a similar sense of bitterness.
Mohamed Salah
In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, injury complicated things for Mohamed Salah, and in 2022, the Liverpool superstar will be a no-show after Egypt failed to qualify for the competition. The Pharaohs lost to Senegal on penalties in the decisive fixture, with former teammate Sadio Mane spearheading that result, leaving Salah crushed for the second time this calendar year.
Victor Osimhen
And finally, we give an honorable mention to one of Africa's best players currently: Victor Osimhen. The Napoli striker is playing a huge role in his club's Scudetto pursuit. However, Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, meaning the 23-year-old striker cannot bully defenders in international football's most iconic event.
*For more details surrounding the 2022 FIFA World Cup, including where to watch the games, news, standings, and more, check out our bespoke World Cup broadcast page.
