World Cup 2022: Best XI of players that didn’t qualify

The spots for the 2022 World Cup are filling up fast, with only three teams left to qualify for the tournament. We have had a number of shocks in the qualifiers so far, and as a result, some big players will be missing out on the grandest competition in football. 

Here is a line-up of the best players that will be missing out on the 2022 World Cup. 

Best XI players that didn’t qualify for the 2022 World Cup 

GK: Jan Oblak 

Oblak plays for the Slovenia national team, which wasn’t able to make it to the World Cup playoffs. They finished fourth in Group H, level on points with Slovakia. 

LB: David Alaba 

The Real Madrid defender will be missing out on the World Cup alongside the Austrian national team. His national side lost to Wales in the playoffs to bow out of the qualification round. 

CB: Giorgio Chiellini 

Chiellini was the backbone of the Italy national team that won Euro 2020. But, the World Cup curse has repeated itself and he will be missing out on what seems to be the final World Cup of his career. 

CB: Leonardo Bonucci 

Bonucci was named the defender of the tournament at Euro 2020, but wasn’t able to help his country break the curse. Alongside his defensive partner at Juventus, he misses out on a second consecutive edition. 

RB: Alessandro Florenzi 

Florenzi started the game against North Macedonia that Italy lost. He features for AC Milan in Serie A, and alongside the rest of the Italian national team, will have to miss the flight to Qatar. 

LM: Riyad Mahrez 

The Algerian national team missed out on  qualification in heartbreaking fashion. Cameroon pulled off a late comeback to eliminate Mahrez and his country in the 124th minute. 

CM: Marco Verratti 

The PSG star is among the best midfielders in the world. But, he couldn’t help his team win the game against North Macedonia despite starting the match. 

CM: Jorginho 

Jorginho’s success for club and country has been well documented over the last year. But, he blamed himself for missing the penalties against Sweden which cost Italy a place at the World Cup this year. 

RM: Mohamed Salah

Salah missed in the penalty shootout against Senegal in the World Cup qualifiers, to lose the game and miss out on the competition. The laser beams that the crowd projected at his face were possibly to blame, but no action has been taken about the matter. 

ST: Erling Haaland 

Erling Haaland was born in Leeds, but represents Norway. Finishing third in Group G, the Norwegian national team couldn’t make it to the playoffs either. 

ST: Zlatan Ibrahimovic 

While Zlatan might be one of the best strikers of his generation, he hasn’t been able to guide Sweden to the grandest stage in all of football. And as a result, he misses out on World Cup football for what could be the last time in his career.