For footballers, the World Cup is an opportunity to unite under their nation’s banner and challenge themselves against the biggest powerhouses in the sport.
While the likes of France and Brazil have star-studded line-ups, it is often the team with the best chemistry that goes all the way.
Many top players across the world already know they will be staying home for the competition, with many teams having announced their 23-man squads or provisional sides ahead of the tournament over the past two weeks.
Despite Didier Deschamps selecting an incredibly strong France squad, some world-class attacking talent was left disappointed after the manager’s announcement.
Sevilla’s Wissam Ben Yedder, who almost single-handedly knocked Manchester United out of the UEFA Champions League this season, was overlooked for the squad, although there were even bigger names left out of the Les Bleus selection.
United’s Anthony Martial, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema and Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette will all be missing the tournament next month, players who would undoubtedly be good enough for many other nations competing.
Serie A’s joint top scorer Mauro Icardi is another talented striker who will not be going to the World Cup following Argentina’s squad announcement on Monday evening.
Germany manager Joachim Low overlooked striker Sandro Wagner for his squad, a decision that resulted in the player announcing his retirement from international football.
Credit – Soccerladuma
