With teams confirming their World Cup spot for next year over the last week, many big sides and big names will not be playing at the tournament next year. Lionel Messi has kept several his teammates of this list on his own but with Chile, Wales and the Netherlands all missing out, we put together out best XI of players who won’t be in Russia next year. How do you think this side would do?
GK: Jan Oblak (Slovenia)
The Slovenia and Atletico Madrid goalkeeper is one of the world’s best, but could not prevent his side from missing out on a play-off place by three points.
RB: Antonio Valencia (Ecuador)
The Manchester United right-back and Ecuador captain could not lift his team in their tough qualifying group and will not be in Russia 2018. At least Mourinho will be happy.
CB: Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)
Southampton rebel Van Dijk was part of a Netherlands side that flopped massively in their group, finishing below France and Sweden and missing out on a play-off place.
CB: David Alaba (Austria)
Austria underperformed in their group with Alaba taking much of the criticism from the fans. That doesn’t keep him out of this side though.
LB: Faouzi Ghoulam (Algeria)
Probably one of the worst performing nations on the list, Algeria picked up just one point from their opening five game. They still have one to play but with no chance of qualifying, the Napoli left-back fits in nicely here.
RM: Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
Robben was on a one-man mission as he attempted to salvage Dutch dreams in their last game, but it was a task too difficult and he makes it into this side.
CM: Arturo Vidal (Chile)
The Copa America champions Chile missed out on a World Cup place after an intense qualifying group. They came so close, in fact, if they hadn’t have gone to the officials after Bolivia fielded an ineligible player in games against themselves and Peru, they would have a finished in a play-off place.
CM: Marek Hamsik (Slovakia)
One of the best central midfielders missed out by a whisker, as despite finished second in England’s group, they finished with the lowest points total of the second-placed teams. This meant they were the only second-place team to miss out on the play-offs!
LM: Gareth Bale (Wales)
Wales probably should have made it to the play-offs, but without Gareth Bale they lost their final group game at home to Ireland. Bale will be watching from the sidelines.
ST: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
Gabon have one of the best strikers in the world, but little else. It’s no surprise that the Dortmund striker makes it into this side.
ST: Alexis Sanchez (Chile)
The Arsenal forward could not inspire his side to the World Cup. Perhaps tiredness played a factor after three successive summer tournaments. He will be missed next summer.
