Top five players set to miss 2026 FIFA World Cup ft. Nigeria's Osimhen
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Many notable players will miss the newly expanded edition of the mega competition.
Lionel Messi‘s final dance is anticipated to be in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Players like Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Jr., Ousmane Dembele, and Kylian Mbappe will compete to outshine the La Albiceleste legend.
In other news, when he leads Portugal once more, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to join Messi as the only other player to have participated in six World Cups.
However, for some, the voyage has already ended. The qualification stage claimed a good number of noteworthy scalps. We go over the major stars that won’t be lighting up North America this summer.
Top players who won’t be playing in the 2026 World Cup
| Order in article | Player Name | Country/Nation |
| 5 | Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Georgia |
| 4 | Dominik Szoboszlai | Hungary |
| 3 | Victor Osimhen | Nigeria |
| 2 | Gianluigi Donnarumma | Italy |
| 1 | Robert Lewandowski | Poland |
5. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia)
With his dizzying runs and unwavering work ethic, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the driving force behind Georgia’s journey to the round of 16 at Euro 2024, making them one of the surprise packages. However, this summer, the Paris Saint-Germain winger will not be showcasing his skills on the biggest platform of all.
Although Kvaratskhelia scored twice during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying, including in a 3-0 victory over Bulgaria, Georgia lost four of their final five games. They ended third in Group E, behind Spain and Turkey.
4. Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary)
In sharp contrast, Hungary’s captain, Dominik Szoboszlai, was seen sobbing after Ireland’s hat-trick hero Troy Parrott prevented Hungary from taking the runners-up spot in group F of the FIFA World Cup European qualifiers.
His return of five goal contributions from six games, including a spectacular stoppage-time equaliser against Portugal, would have been satisfactory for the midfielder had Hungary qualified for the competition.
3. Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
Following a shocking loss to DR Congo in the African final play-offs, Nigeria miss out on consecutive World Cups. After defeating Gabon (4-1), the Super Eagles were overwhelming favourites to advance to the intercontinental play-off for March. However, DR Congo dashed their hopes following a tough match that was ultimately decided on penalties.
Osimhen is one of the top strikers in the world; it will be extremely unfortunate as he will not be present when the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins. Although he scored eight goals throughout qualifying, the Nigerian team as a whole fell short of his lofty expectations.
2. Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy)
Italy have not qualified for the World Cup for the third time in a row. After losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday in a penalty shootout, they will now have to watch from home once more.
Of course, Gianluigi Donnarumma is not to blame for Italy’s shortcomings. But if the four-time champions are to return to the World Cup in 2030, the Manchester City goalkeeper, one of the team’s brightest stars, will need to stand tall and ensure he stays at the top level for another four years.
1. Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
Robert Lewandowski, one of the finest strikers of the 21st century, will not have the opportunity in what could have been his last World Cup after Poland fell short during the final play-off round against Sweden. It was one of the heartbreaking moments for the striker, who continued to remain consistent for the national team.
It’s a pity that we won’t be seeing one of the highly-rated centre-forwards playing in the event in South America.
Which players could still play in the 2030 World Cup?
Given they still have age on their side – Gianluigi Donnarumma, Dominik Szoboszlai and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Will Robert Lewandowski play in the next World Cup (2030)?
Considering his age, it’s unlikely that he will play in the next World Cup.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.