The FIFA World Cup 2022 will begin on November 20, 2022. In the first game, the host Qatar will face Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. A total of 32 teams have been divided into eight pools, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockouts. However, some of the game’s biggest stars will not be a part of this year’s tournament.
Top Footballers Who Won’t Be a Part of FIFA World Cup 2022
However, perhaps one of the most disappointing aspects of the FIFA World Cup is the fact that we will not get to see some of the world’s best players competing. While there are many that will be absent through injury, there are some that will simply have to remain at home due to the fact that their country was unable to qualify.
Here are just some of the players who will not be part of the World Cup because of this…
Norway’s Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland has been a sensation for a number of years already at club level, but it is something that he has been able to carry on doing in his international career, too. He has scored 21 goals in 23 games, thus far and is guaranteed to add to it.
Given his ability to find the net regularly, something that has not slowed down since he joined Manchester City, either, he has been one of the favourite players among gambling fans who bet on football as they feel confident he will be able to find the back of the net. However, with the fact that Norway were unable to qualify, fans will miss him during their cyprus sporting bet sessions this year and will have to consider placing wagers involving goal scorers on someone else.
Unfortunately, Haaland, undoubtedly the world’s best young striker at the moment, only managed five goals in the World Cup qualifiers. Norway won 18 points from its ten qualifying rounds, finishing third in the group behind the Netherlands and Turkey.
This 22-year-old talented star has time on his side and plenty of chances to make amends for missing out in 2022.
Austria’s David Alaba
There is no doubt that David Alaba is one of the best players in the world at the moment, but the Real Madrid star is another who will not be at the upcoming competition. Nonetheless, this is nothing new for him or fans, as Austria last qualified for the tournament back in 1998…
Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez
The name ‘Riyad Mahrez’ has consistently been among Africa’s best players in recent years, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2016 and the CAF African Footballer of the Year award in 2016. Moreover, he also won the Premier League with two different clubs.
The France-born player was a member of Algeria’s World Cup squad in 2014 but had a small impact. His team did not qualify for the 2018 season; however, they were on the stage to make it to Qatar when a late Cameroon goal smashed them out in extra time of their playoff tie.
Egypt’s Mohamed Salah
One of the game’s most incredible talents will not be on the field during the Middle East’s first World Cup because his country failed to qualify.
Egypt and Salah have lost penalty shootouts against Senegal twice in the last couple of months. Initially, they were defeated in the decider of the Africa Cup of Nations in February. The World Cup qualification playoff followed, which ended in a penalty shootout after two legs.
Conclusion
The countdown to the start of the FIFA World Cup has begun. Fans are excited to see their favourite teams on the field, even though some teams did not qualify, causing disappointment among soccer fans. However, fans are hopeful that the tournament will provide quality entertainment.