Top five star players who failed to qualify for Euro 2024

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :June 5, 2024 at 7:41 PM

Modified at :June 5, 2024 at 7:41 PM

Many top players are set to sit at home during the Euro competition.

Will France win their third European Championship under Kylian Mbappe’s leadership? Or will Harry Kane contribute to ending England’s nearly 60-year suffering? Portugal and Spain will also be considered, Germany could make a domestic comeback and it would be a mistake to ignore countries like Belgium, Netherlands and Italy.

Young players like Lamine Yamal, Joao Neves, Jamal Musiala and Xavi Simons will be looking to make an impact in the Euro 2024. Moreover experienced players like Luka Modric, Olivier Giroud, Toni Kroos and Cristiano Ronaldo would want to add another amazing chapter to their already remarkable career tales.

But still, many world-class talents will not be able to take the pitch in Germany. The following five are some of the remarkable players who are out of the event before it even begins.

5. Dejan Kulusevski (Sweden)

Under Ange Postecoglou, Dejan Kulusevski was one of Tottenham’s top players in 2023–24, helping the team finish in fifth position in the Premier League. For Sweden, who missed out on qualifying for the European Championship for the first time since 1996, he wasn’t as outstanding.

In Group F of the Euro Qualifiers, Sweden were left trailing behind Belgium and Austria, with Kulusevski managing just one goal while playing the whole ninety minutes in their humiliating 3-0 loss to Azerbaijan.

4. Evan Ferguson (Ireland)

It’s difficult to digest that Evan Ferguson made his Ireland debut just back in November 2022, as he has since established himself as a mainstay in Brighton’s first-team squad. Ferguson is rumoured to be a transfer target for several elite teams such as Manchester United and Chelsea. There is a lot of expectation on the 19-year-old because he has now earned 12 caps for his nation and is regarded as the future star of their group.

3. Alexander Isak (Sweden)

Despite battling a number of bothersome injuries, Alexander Isak has had an incredible debut at Newcastle, scoring 31 Premier League goals in two seasons. He has been dubbed the Swedish equivalent of Thierry Henry, the legendary French and Arsenal striker. His influence on the international level has been restricted, though, as he has only made five appearances and scored one goal in Sweden’s Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

2. Martin Odegaard (Norway)

Norwegian maestro Martin Odegaard of Arsenal, whose last participation at the Euros was back in 2000, was unable to lift Norway to the qualification. In qualification, the former Real Madrid player did not perform up to his usual high standards. He only scored two goals and did not play as much of a captain for the national team as he has done every week at the Emirates Stadium.

1. Erling Haaland (Norway)

Though it would be a farce if the greatest striker in the world never participated in a significant international competition, Erling Haaland is beginning to perceive it as a real possibility. The 23-year-old netted six goals to help Norway qualify for the playoffs, but they were unable to advance and ended up finishing six points behind Scotland, the runners-up in Group A.

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Rajarshi Shukla

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.