The 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar on Sunday in the presence of the biggest stars of world football, but will all the players gather without absences? Of course not, as qualifications, injuries and coaching choices have led to the absence of some big names such as Senegal’s Sadio Mane, Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah.
Salah, Halland and Mané
Egypt failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar after a sensational defeat against Senegal, who had also previously defeated the Pharaohs in the final of the last African Cup of Nations.
Salah will therefore not be at the World Cup, like his former colleague and current Bayern Munich player, Senegalese Sadio Mane, second in the Ballon d’Or standings, whose absence was confirmed on Thursday due to a knee injury suffered recently with his German league team.
On the other hand, Haaland failed to take Norway to the final, causing his country to be absent since 1998.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Like his compatriots Marco Verratti or Jorginho, the Italian goalkeeper and French team Paris Saint-Germain missed the opportunity to participate in the Qatar World Cup with the “Azzurri” by losing the qualifying play-off against modest North Macedonia.
And for the second time in a row, four-times world champions Italy will miss the world event in great disappointment.
Reese James
“I am devastated,” the right-back for England international and young club Chelsea wrote on Twitter on Nov. 9, and this was the date of his official retirement from the England squad due to a knee injury sustained in mid-October.
Sergio Ramos and Presnel Kimpembe
There won’t be two world champions, it is true that Spain has got used to the absence of Ramos, who hasn’t worn the shirt of his country since March 2021.
On the other hand, Kimpembe hoped until the end to defend the title won with the Roosters in 2018.
He was also part of his manager Didier Deschamps’ preliminary squad but, after failing to recover properly from an Achilles tendon injury, had to give way and make way for Axel Desazy.
Ferlan Mendi
The French left-back is regarded as a Real Madrid pillar, but that is not in Deschamps’ plans, and at 27, Mendy has never been able to fully establish himself in France’s squad.
This time Deschamps preferred brothers Lucas and Theo Hernandez, and Luca Digne (46 caps) suffered the same fate.
Ngolo Kante
Deschamps sums it all up when he says “No Ngoloho has less strength, because of his energy, his experience, his humanity. He is such a lovely little boy. He always has a smile. He will be missed.”
Kante, who plays in a defensive midfield position, is the 2018 world champion but is having a difficult season with Chelsea.
He has only played the first two games of the current season and has been sidelined for long periods with a hamstring injury and won’t return until 2023.
Thiago Alcantara and Paul Pogba
The first World Cup to be held in the Middle East will miss two of the world’s most talented midfielders.
Despite his brilliance in the English ranks of Liverpool, the Alcantara midfielder has not convinced the manager, Luis Enrique, to leave him a vacant position.
As for Pogba, injuries to his right knee and later to his thigh will prevent him from participating, and without him and Kante, Deschamps will have to rebuild France’s midfield once again.
The FIFA World Cup finals will kick off next Sunday in Qatar until 20 December, with 32 teams participating.
