BoyleSports | Best Players Missing The World Cup

We have put together a list of the top five players missing the World Cup as we get ready for the start of the 2022 tournament.

So let’s get into it!

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Best Players Missing The 2022 FIFA World Cup

5 Gianluigi Donnarumma

One of the best goalkeepers in the world will be sorely missing from Qatar’s World Cup over this next month. Donnarumma plays for French club PSG after joining from AC Milan in the summer of 2021. The Italian is only 23-years of age but has already proven himself as one of the best in the world. Proof of this is that he has the highest save percentage in Ligue 1 at 83.3%.

On the international stage, Donnarumma has 49 caps for his country Italy and was a vital part of their 2020 Euros winning team after he saved two penalties to help the Italians win the tournament. Despite their Euros success, Italy were poor in World Cup qualifying. They eventually suffered a shock loss to North Macedonia in a play-off game which saw them fail to qualify for this World Cup.

4 Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba is another star name that will be missing out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to injury. The Juventus midfielder suffered a serious knee injury all the way back in July. Pogba tore his meniscus during pre-season for the Italian club. As a result, he won't be able to help France in Qatar to defend their 2018 World Cup title.

The 29-year-old playmaker will be a major loss for France in this tournament as he was one of their best players at the 2018 World Cup. He also followed this up with a very underrated campaign at the 2020 Euros. The last time we saw Pogba playing competitive football was for Man United when he recorded nine assists and one goal during the 2021-22 Premier League season.

If you think that Pogba’s absence and the World Cup winner curse might affect the French then you can back France not to qualify from Group D at 6/1 odds.

3 Sadio Mane

The former Liverpool and now Bayern Munich forward won’t be playing in Qatar this winter after suffering a devastating injury. Mane sustained the leg injury while playing for Bayern Munich less than two weeks before the World Cup start date. Mane has been playing well over in Germany this season since his departure from Liverpool. He has scored 11 goals in all competitions for the German giants.

The loss of the 30-year-old forward will be a massive blow to Senegal’s World Cup ambitions. Mane is without doubt the star of this team and they might struggle to qualify from Group A without him. You can back Senegal to not qualify by finishing third in their group at 7/4.

2 Mo Salah

Liverpool’s star man won’t be making an appearance at the World Cup this time around. The 30-year-old attacker has been one of the best players in the Premier League over the last five years. He has six goals and three assists in the Premier League this season along with seven goals in the Champions League.

Salah plays for Egypt who failed to grab one of the five World Cup qualifying spots available to African nations. Egypt were drawn against Senegal, who they also lost to in the African Cup of Nations Final, in the last round of qualifying and lost to them (again) in heartbreaking fashion on penalties. Salah and his nation played in the 2018 World Cup but struggled in that tournament. They finished bottom of their group with zero points that time around.

1 Erling Haaland

The most dominant player in world football right now sadly won’t be playing at this year’s FIFA World Cup. Erling Haaland has been in the form of his life with Manchester City this season as he has taken the Premier League by storm. He has the most goals scored in the league with 18 goals in 13 matches. If the 22-year-old striker continues at this pace he will break the record for goals scored in a Premier League season.

At the international level Haaland plays for his native country Norway who failed to qualify for Qatar’s World Cup. Norway have not been a traditionally strong footballing nation but they will be hoping that Haaland can lift them to new heights going forward.

The Norwegians finished third in their European qualifying group and just missed out on a play-off spot for the tournament as they finished three points behind second placed Turkey.

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