# Top 14 Players to Miss the 2026 World Cup

> Global superstars left watching from home as their nations fell short or the call never came. Who's the biggest name missing from the finals? Cast your vote!

*By YPB Team · Published July 27, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/top-14-players-to-miss-the-2026-world-cup*

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## Current results (3 votes)

1. **Robert Lewandowski** — 66.67% (2 votes · score 1000/1000)
   Poland's talismanic striker, left heartbroken as his nation fell short in the play-offs.
2. **Federico Chiesa** — 0% (0 votes · score 643/1000)
   Italy's flair forward, a Euro 2020 hero, absent from the 2026 World Cup.
3. **Riccardo Calafiori** — 33.33% (1 votes · score 591/1000)
   The emerging Italy and Arsenal defender who will miss the finals.
4. **Piotr Zieliński** — 0% (0 votes · score 577/1000)
   Poland's creative midfield mainstay, another casualty of their failed qualification.
5. **Gianluigi Donnarumma** — 0% (0 votes · score 576/1000)
   One of the world's finest goalkeepers, absent as Italy failed to qualify yet again.
6. **Nicolò Barella** — 0% (0 votes · score 500/1000)
   Italy's dynamic all-round midfielder denied a World Cup stage once more.
7. **Alessandro Bastoni** — 0% (0 votes · score 500/1000)
   The ball-playing Inter defender left out as Italy failed to qualify.
8. **Ademola Lookman** — 0% (0 votes · score 409/1000)
   The AFCON star winger left at home as Nigeria failed to reach the tournament.
9. **Rodrygo** — 0% (0 votes · score 409/1000)
   The Real Madrid forward surprisingly omitted from Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad.
10. **Khvicha Kvaratskhelia** — 0% (0 votes · score 409/1000)
   The dazzling Georgian winger whose country missed out on the finals.
11. **Sandro Tonali** — 0% (0 votes · score 300/1000)
   The classy Italy midfielder absent as the Azzurri missed a third straight World Cup.
12. **Álvaro Morata** — 0% (0 votes · score 300/1000)
   Spain's Euro 2024-winning captain, left out of the champions' 2026 World Cup squad.
13. **Dominik Szoboszlai** — 0% (0 votes · score 167/1000)
   Hungary's captain and Liverpool midfielder whose side missed qualification.
14. **Victor Osimhen** — 0% (0 votes · score 167/1000)
   Nigeria's fearsome striker, denied a World Cup after a play-off shootout defeat.

Tags: football, players, world cup, national teams