TOP. Ranking of players who won't be going to the World Cup
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
The qualification for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held this summer in the USA, Mexico and Canada, has officially concluded, and we now know all the teams that will take part in the tournament.
It would seem that all the best players should be at the World Cup, but not all national teams managed to qualify, which means many top-class footballers will miss the tournament.
The Dailysports team has compiled a ranking of the best players who will not go to the World Cup.
1. Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
The Nigerian national team recently delivered an excellent Africa Cup of Nations campaign, where they secured the bronze medals. However, before that tournament they failed to qualify for the World Cup. They finished second in their qualifying group and did not advance to the intercontinental playoff.
As a result, we will not see two top strikers at the World Cup — Osimhen and Lookman. Victor, by the way, scored six goals in qualifying and provided one assist. Overall this season, the striker has played 29 matches in all competitions for Galatasaray, scoring 19 goals and adding seven assists. He is only 27 years old, and he would clearly have been an important and standout player at the World Cup.
The same applies to his national team partner Ademola Lookman. The 28-year-old forward moved in the winter from Atalanta to Atletico Madrid. He played 34 matches in all competitions for both clubs, scoring eight goals and adding six assists. The player has settled into Diego Simeone’s team, and it is a real shame he will not be at the 2026 World Cup.
2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
The Gabon international is already 36 years old, but he is still showing high-level football. Aubameyang currently plays for Marseille and has made 36 appearances in all competitions, scoring 12 goals and providing ten assists. He also tried to carry his national team to the 2026 World Cup. He played six qualifying matches and scored seven goals. His team finished second in their qualifying group but lost 1–4 to Nigeria in the playoff. Aubameyang has never played at a World Cup, and neither has Gabon as a nation. The striker will most likely never get that chance.
3. Serhou Guirassy (Guinea)
Guirassy played 40 matches in all competitions this season for Borussia Dortmund — he is incredibly important both for the German side and his national team. However, he did not stand out statistically in World Cup qualifying. In eight matches, Guirassy scored one goal and could not help his team enough. Over ten matches, his national team collected 15 points and finished fourth in the table. They had no chance of progressing. One of the Bundesliga’s best strikers will miss the 2026 World Cup.
4. Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon)
In the summer of 2025, Bryan Mbeumo moved from Brentford to Manchester United, where he immediately secured a place in the starting lineup and began showing strong performances. This season, the attacking player has made 27 appearances in all competitions, scoring ten goals and providing three assists. He is helping the Red Devils climb high in the table, but he could not do the same for Cameroon.
His national team surprisingly lost first place in their qualifying group to Cape Verde but still had a chance to reach the intercontinental playoff. However, they failed there as well, losing to DR Congo. In qualifying, Mbeumo played all 11 matches, scored four goals, and provided several assists, but we will not see him at the 2026 World Cup despite his strong club form.
5. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia)
Last winter, Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia moved from Napoli to PSG, where he went on to win the UEFA Champions League just a few months later. Under Luis Enrique, Kvaratskhelia has become an essential part of the system. This season he has already played 39 matches, scoring 13 goals and providing eight assists.
For Georgia, he is also a true leader and star, but he could not help his team reach the 2026 World Cup. In qualification, he played all six matches and scored two goals. His team collected just three points, which was not enough. Georgia will once again miss the World Cup.
6. Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
The 37-year-old Poland striker is still delivering high-level football and strong numbers. This season, Lewandowski has played 39 matches, scoring 17 goals and providing three assists for Barcelona. He is currently fighting for La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, but he will not go to the World Cup with his national team.
Although he did everything he could — playing nine matches, scoring five goals and providing three assists. Poland reached the qualifying playoffs, where they lost the final to Sweden 2–3. For the first time in the last three editions, Poland will not play at the World Cup. For Lewandowski, this was likely his last chance.
7. Gianluigi Donnarumma and Nicolò Barella (Italy)
The Italian national team has once again failed to qualify for the World Cup. The side continues to set unwanted records in football history. Italy lost to Norway in their group but still had a chance to qualify through the playoffs. They reached the final, where they lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties. For the third consecutive time, Italy will miss the tournament.
Among the players in this team, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Nicolò Barella stand out. The goalkeeper is one of the best in his position and was named the best in the previous season. However, this is now the second consecutive World Cup he will miss with the national team. Barella is arguably one of the best players for Inter and Italy. He played nine qualifying matches and provided one assist. However, neither he nor Donnarumma could help the team reach the World Cup.
8. Rasmus Højlund (Denmark)
The striker moved to Napoli after failing to establish himself at Manchester United. And in the Italian side he has rediscovered his form. Across 37 matches this season, the Dane has scored 14 goals and provided four assists. In World Cup qualifying, Højlund delivered excellent football and strong numbers. He played seven matches and scored five goals.
He helped his team finish second in the qualifying table, but in the playoffs they lost the final to the Czech Republic on penalties. Denmark will miss the World Cup for the first time in the last three editions, and it will be a first disappointment for Højlund as well.
9. Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary)
This season, Liverpool have not shown consistent results and the team has been struggling after their title-winning campaign. However, one player who stands out is Szoboszlai, who has played 45 matches this season, scoring 12 goals and providing eight assists. The midfielder has repeatedly rescued Liverpool during this campaign, but he could not save Hungary.
Hungary needed to beat Ireland in the final round of 2026 World Cup qualifying to secure second place, but they twice squandered the lead and lost 2–3 in the dying minutes. Hungary have now missed out on a tenth consecutive World Cup. Dominik Szoboszlai played six qualifying matches, scored one goal and provided four assists. He was one of the best performers in the campaign, but it was not enough.
10. Leon Bailey (Jamaica)
In the current campaign, forward Leon Bailey has not been getting enough playing time. He has made 24 appearances in all competitions but played only 713 minutes — equivalent to just seven full matches. In that time, he scored one goal and provided one assist. However, for his national team he is a real star and a key hope who was expected to help Jamaica reach the World Cup.
They reached the third qualifying round, finished second in their group, and played in the intercontinental playoff. They beat New Caledonia 1–0 but lost to DR Congo. Bailey played four matches and provided one assist. That was not enough to help Jamaica reach the World Cup. Since 1998, Jamaica have been unable to qualify for the tournament.
11. Illia Zabarnyi (Ukraine)
The Ukrainian defender has taken an incredible step forward in his career. He moved from Bournemouth to PSG, but has yet to find full consistency, although he still gets playing time at his new club. So far, he has made 30 appearances in all competitions and even scored one goal.
However, for his national team, Zabarnyi is a leader and captain. He played all seven matches in World Cup qualifying. Ukraine finished second in their group and earned a playoff spot, but lost in the semifinal to Sweden 1–3. For 20 years now, Ukraine have remained without a place at football’s biggest tournament.
12. Vedat Muriqi (Kosovo)
The Kosovo national team striker plays for Mallorca, where he is delivering excellent performances. He has scored 19 goals in La Liga and is currently second in the league’s top scorers chart. His Mallorca side sits 16th in the La Liga table, just two points above the relegation zone, but Muriqi remains in outstanding form.
In World Cup qualifying, Vedat Muriqi played eight matches. He helped his team reach the qualification playoffs, where Kosovo beat Slovakia 4–3, but then lost the final to Turkey 0–1. Kosovo came very close to making a historic breakthrough and reaching the World Cup, but it was not meant to be. The Spain-based striker was unable to help his national team achieve the dream.
13. Dušan Vlahović (Serbia)
The Serbian striker has not been getting much playing time this campaign due to an injury he picked up during the season. He has played 18 matches for Juventus in all competitions, scoring six goals and providing two assists. He has been sidelined since December with injury issues.
In 2026 World Cup qualifying, Vlahović played seven matches, scoring two goals and providing one assist. His national team finished third in the qualifying table, collecting 13 points from eight matches. Serbia will miss the World Cup for the first time in the last three editions.
14. Jan Oblak (Slovenia)
The Slovenian goalkeeper is now 33 years old and had another chance to reach the World Cup. However, Slovenia missed out once again. After six rounds, the team collected just four points and finished third in the table. This will be the third consecutive World Cup without Slovenia.
Oblak continues to perform at a high level for Atlético Madrid and his national team. He played five matches in qualifying, but his efforts were not enough. Unfortunately, it is uncertain whether he will ever get another chance to feature at a World Cup.
