As the final international break of the year draws to a close, the 32 teams at the World Cup have been decided. There are a host of big name sides missing from Russia 2018, with a number of Premier League stars denied the chance to showcase their talent on the grand stage. Let’s run through the best of them, shall we?
Alexis Sanchez – Chile
Chile’s failure to match or better Peru’s result on the final matchday in CONMEBOL qualifying saw them miss out on a play-off spot, with Alexis Sanchez arguably the Premier League’s biggest star to miss out on a place in Russia. The 28-year-old hasn’t been at his best for Arsenal this season, yet still has one goal and two assists to his name in his last four top-flight appearances for the Gunners.
La Roja’s top scorer and the nation’s posterboy, next summer’s World Cup will be a worse place without Alexis, though will afford Chile’s star man a well earned rest at the end of the season. While it remains to be seen whether he is available for selection in 2022, where he will be 33 years of age, it’s feasible that Russia 2018 will have been his final shot at World Cup glory.
Antonio Valencia - Ecuador
Ecuador started their qualifying campaign in style, winning the opening four games, only for a spectacular collapse - the Tricolor lost their final six group matches - to cost them a spot at next summer’s showpiece. At 32 years of age, it also feels as though this was the last chance for Ecuador captain Antonio Valencia to really leave a mark on the international stage.
The Manchester United right-back, arguably the best in his position in England, has started the season strongly for the Premier League title contenders, with his attacking vigour helping to stretch opponents in the final third. Unfortunately, fans won’t be able to see Valencia at his marauding best next summer, in what is very much football’s loss.
Virgil van Dijk - Netherlands
Virgil van Dijk won’t be able to strut his stuff in Russia next year after the Netherlands’ failure to navigate their way out of Group A, with France and Sweden beating the Oranje to the finish line. The 25-year-old has once more begun to show just why a host of Premier League teams chase his signature after the summer following his return to fitness after an ankle injury.
His return to the Southampton first team fold has bolstered their backline in their quest to land a European finish, with his availability a huge boost to head coach Mauricio Pellegrino. Saints must now be hoping he can continue to shine at the heart of the defence, but it’s fair to say it’ll be a shame that Van Dijk won’t get the opportunity to show off his talents to the watching world next year.
Georginio Wijnaldum - Netherlands
It’s a similar story for Georginio Wijnaldum after the Netherlands missed out on a place at the World Cup. The Liverpool man has been an effective performer in the Reds midfield this season, yet, like Van Dijk, will be forced to watch the World Cup from the comforts of his own home, left to wonder what could have been for the former Feyenoord and Newcastle man.
Having only recently turned 27, however, time is very much on Wijnaldum’s side as the Netherlands look to overcome this downturn in fortunes after their third-placed finish at Brazil 2014. They ended qualifying strongly, with three successive victories, but they’ll need to build on the positives to guarantee a spot at Euro 2020, with the increasingly influential Wijnaldum key in that regard.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan - Armenia
It’s all gone a bit pear-shaped for Manchester United and Henrikh Mkhitaryan of late. Having scored only two goals in their last four Premier League games, fans are scapegoating the 28-year-old and for good reason, to some extent. The former Borussia Dortmund hasn’t had a direct hand in a league goal since mid-September, but when on song, he’s one of the most difficult players to stop.
Yet, fans of international football won’t bear witness to his creative quality next summer following Armenia’s failure to secure a spot at the World Cup. In all honesty, they never really stood a chance in a group that contained both Poland and Denmark, but it would’ve been nice to have an in-form Mkhitaryan grace Russia 2018, even if the attacker is struggling for consistency at present.
Ben Davies - Wales
A 1-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in the final round of fixtures in Group D saw Wales miss out on a place at the World Cup. The Dragons earned countless admirers after they upset the odds at Euro 2016 and many wouldn’t have begrudged them a spot in Russia. However, the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Ben Davies, among others, won’t grace the country with their presence in 2018.
Davies, in particular, has been in flying form for Tottenham and the least the 24-year-old would have deserved is a spot at the World Cup. He’s made more key passes (19) than any other Premier League defender this season as he continues to go from strength-to-strength. That being said, he’ll be coming into his prime by the time Qatar 2022 rolls around and if his current development under Mauricio Pochettino is anything to go by, Davies will be at the peak of his power in four years’ time.
Wilfried Zaha - Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast have a squad capable of troubling any nation on their day, yet won only two of six games under Marc Wilmots in qualifying. The Belgian’s management has been called into question and understandably so after the Elephants failed to secure the necessary victory over Morocco on the final matchday in Group C. Wilfried Zaha’s international career may still be in its infancy, yet the 25-year-old was one who could’ve lit up Russia 2018.
Zaha has missed six of the 11 Premier League games this season through injury, but is goal shy Crystal Palace’s top scorer with two goals to his name. Had he not been forced to miss a substantial chunk of the campaign with a knee problem, who knows how the Ivory Coast would have fared, yet they undoubtedly would have had a strong chance of progression had the Eagles star been available.
Eric Bailly - Ivory Coast
The third of three Manchester United players on this list, Eric Bailly was an inspiring signing from Villarreal over 12 months ago and is arguably the club’s most important defender. The 23-year-old missed the 2-0 loss to Morocco last weekend due to suspension and while his roughhouse approach can at times land him in hot water, teams are far stronger with the youngster in the XI, with the pros very much outweighing the cons.
Fortunately for Bailly, he is still young and he’ll improve further in time. The hope now is Ivory Coast are managed by a more adept boss than Wilmots in time for qualifying for the next World Cup, where the United defender, should he continue to improve as he has done, will hope to display his immense defensive quality on the grand stage.
Mario Lemina - Gabon
Despite being able to call upon Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mario Lemina, Gabon faltered at the qualifying stages, winning only one of six games. They drew a short short in landing Morocco and Ivory Coast, granted, yet should have arguably performed better. To some Southampton fans, though, Gabon’s failure to secure a spot at the World Cup is very much a blessing in disguise.
Lemina has excelled in the Saints midfield following his arrival from Juventus, taking to the rigours of English football with ease. His dribble success rate (94.7%) is the best of the 69 Premier League players to attempt 15 or more dribbles this season as he glides through the midfield. Without the chance to exhibit his talents in the World Cup limelight, however, Saints’ chances of keeping the 24-year-old at St. Mary’s increase tenfold.
Riyad Mahrez - Algeria
Despite the array of attacking talent on offer in the Algeria national team, the Desert Warriors mustered just two points from six games as they finished bottom of Group B, with draws against Cameroon and Nigeria all to show for their efforts. Having made history in Brazil in 2014, failure to even win a match in qualifying was an unmitigated disaster.
From a personal viewpoint, Riyad Mahrez would have also fancied his chances of taking on the best in world in Russia. The Leicester City star, who has won possession in the attacking third more times (12) than any other Premier League player this season, has been hankering for a King Power Stadium exit for some time now after his first taste of Champions League action last season.
Whether Algeria’s failure to secure a World Cup impacts the 26-year-old’s future, it remains to be seen, but having failed to leave a lasting effect in Brazil, Mahrez would have fancied a chance to prove his worth in football’s greatest competition.
