Sports

The Stars Who Will Miss The 2026 World Cup

Published

2 months ago

May 4, 2026

The World Cup remains the ultimate stage in football, yet even the game’s biggest names are never guaranteed a place. Every edition leaves behind high-profile absentees, whether due to failed qualification campaigns, injuries or fierce competition within national teams.

The 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, will introduce a historic 48-team format.

With the line-up now complete following the final qualification matches, anticipation is building for what promises to be the biggest edition yet.

However, despite the expanded field, several major stars will not feature. Some have fallen short in qualification, others have been undone by injuries or collective underperformance. The absence of such names is always one of the tournament’s harsh realities.

Here is a selection of 20 notable players who will miss the 2026 World Cup:

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Georgia

Despite a promising start in qualifying, Georgia fell short in a tough group featuring Spain and Turkey. A major disappointment for one of Europe’s brightest attacking talents.

Victor Osimhen, Nigeria

Nigeria once again underperformed in qualification, missing out after a play-off defeat to Congo. Osimhen is one of the biggest names absent from the tournament.

Ademola Lookman, Nigeria

Alongside Osimhen, Lookman also misses out due to Nigeria’s failure, denying him a chance to shine on the global stage.

Dusan Vlahovic, Serbia

Serbia’s inconsistency proved costly, with dropped points in key matches ultimately ruling them out of the World Cup.

Jan Oblak, Slovenia

Slovenia finished behind Switzerland and Kosovo in their group, falling short of qualification despite Oblak’s presence.

Dominik Szoboszlai, Hungary

Hungary came close but failed to advance from a competitive group, meaning Szoboszlai misses out on what could have been his first World Cup.

Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy

Italy’s struggles continue, missing a third consecutive World Cup after another play-off defeat, extending a historic crisis.

Sandro Tonali, Italy

Like Donnarumma, Tonali is another major casualty of Italy’s ongoing decline on the international stage.

Robert Lewandowski, Poland

Poland were eliminated by Sweden in a tight play-off, potentially denying Lewandowski one of his final World Cup appearances.

Piotr Zielinski, Poland

Zielinski also misses out following Poland’s narrow elimination, despite a strong overall campaign.

Rasmus Hojlund, Denmark

Denmark fell in the play-off final on penalties, leaving Hojlund without a World Cup opportunity.

Christian Eriksen, Denmark

Eriksen shares the same fate, missing out after Denmark’s dramatic elimination.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ukraine

Ukraine were eliminated in the play-offs, with Zinchenko also sidelined by injury at a crucial moment.

Leon Bailey, Jamaica

Jamaica came agonisingly close but lost in the intercontinental play-off final, missing a historic qualification.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon

Gabon’s run ended in the African play-offs, denying Aubameyang another appearance on the world stage.

Alexis Sanchez, Chile

Chile endured a disastrous qualifying campaign, finishing bottom and confirming their ongoing decline.

Milan Skriniar, Slovakia

Slovakia were knocked out in the play-off semi-finals after a high-scoring defeat to Kosovo.

Vangelis Pavlidis, Greece

Greece failed to qualify after finishing behind stronger opposition in their group.

Bryan Mbeumo, Cameroon

Cameroon were eliminated in the African play-offs, falling short of another World Cup appearance.

Vedat Muriqi, Kosovo

Kosovo’s dream ended in the play-off final, narrowly missing out on a historic qualification.

Despite the tournament’s expansion, the 2026 World Cup will once again be defined not only by those who make it, but also by the stars who are left behind.

besoccer.com

Football

Real Madrid To Sign Marc Cucurella From Chelsea

Published

2 weeks ago

June 14, 2026

AladdynKing

According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid and Chelsea have verbally agreed to sign Marc Cucurella. All parties, including the player, are believed to have agreed on the transaction; just the final details are still pending.

It is anticipated that the transaction will be completed for about 50 million euros. Romano claims that Jose Mourinho has made a special request to bolster the left-back position. Cucurella will join the Spanish powerhouses ahead of the upcoming season after leaving Chelsea following the World Cup.

The La Masia graduate is expected to make a significant transfer to the Catalan team’s fiercest rivals. Cucurella earned La Liga experience while playing for Eibar and Getafe before joining the Premier League.

Because of his performances, he was transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made an impression before landing a job at Chelsea. He made 50 appearances for the London team in 2025–2026, including 34 in the Premier League, and recorded one goal and four assists.

Football

Germany 7-1 Curacao: 4-Time World Champions Cruise Past Debutants

Published

2 weeks ago

June 14, 2026

AladdynKing

Germany defeated World Cup rookies Curacao 7-1 in Houston on Sunday to get off to a strong start in their FIFA World Cup campaign.

Felix Nmecha gave Germany the lead after just six minutes, and they seemed to be in total control. But in the twenty-first minute, Livano Comenencia took advantage of a defensive error to score Curacao’s first-ever World Cup goal, shocking the four-time world champions and sending their supporters into wild jubilation.

Curacao had a small glimmer of optimism after the historic equaliser, but Germany’s talent quickly proved too much. Before Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot to give Julian Nagelsmann’s team a comfortable 3-1 lead going into halftime, Nico Schlotterbeck restored the lead.

After halftime, Germany maintained their lead thanks to a goal by Jamal Musiala a few minutes into the second half. Deniz Undav, Havertz, and Nathaniel Brown scored more goals as the Germans’ persistent offensive play overpowered their opponents.

Joshua Kimmich, who controlled the game’s tempo from midfield and provided assists, was crucial to Germany’s triumph. Curacao was unable to keep up with the Germans’ attacking movement and intensity because they had most of the possession and frequently generated opportunities.

Germany’s decisive win puts them atop Group E and gives their opponents a heads-up as they start their pursuit of World Cup title.

Even though Curacao lost badly in their tournament debut, the Caribbean nation will never forget the moment Comenencia scored their first goal on the largest football stage; a significant accomplishment for football in the nation’s history.

Football

Fulham To Appoint Alvaro Arbeloa As New Manager

Published

2 weeks ago

June 14, 2026

AladdynKing

Journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Alvaro Arbeloa is nearing his first Premier League managing position after reaching the final stages of a deal to take over as Fulham’s head coach.

Fabrizio Romano claims that only the final details need to be finalised before Arbeloa is officially named Fulham’s new manager, following Marco Silva’s departure from Craven Cottage to take over at Benfica after five seasons.

Despite having little senior leadership experience, the former Real Madrid defender has a burgeoning reputation.

Before taking over Castilla, Arbeloa worked for several years in Madrid’s academy system and had success with the team’s young teams. He also temporarily took over the first-team dugout earlier this year after Xabi Alonso left.

Fulham would be taking a risk with the appointment. The London club believes Arbeloa’s tactical ideas, leadership, and elite footballing background could make him an interesting long-term fit, even though he lacks the Premier League experience of many candidates.