The November international break was filled with moments of jubilation: overhead kicks, last-gasp winners and the usual thumping. However, in between the joys came the heartbreaking realization that they had missed out on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
For many players, this was their last chance to reach football’s biggest stage, only to see it snatched away from them once again. After Troy Parrott’s heroics, Scotland are still in party mode and Ireland may be preparing for the play-offs, but one wonders what would have been for the likes of Hungary and Nigeria.
As the tournament approaches, some of the world’s most impressive stars are faced with the heart-breaking task of having their fates decided and watching from home as their club teammates do things they can only dream of next summer.
From Viktor Osimhen to Dominik Szoboszlai, we’ve put together the best XI of players who could miss out on the 2026 World Cup.
goalkeeper and defense
GK: Jan Black (Slovenia & Atlético Madrid) – As part of Slovenia’s disastrous qualification run, Jan Oblak could only watch on as his side picked up just four points from six group games against Switzerland, Kosovo and Sweden.
At the end of qualifying, the rankings were close, with Kosovo in second place with 11 points and Slovenia in third place.
RB: Ola Aina (Nigeria & Nottingham Forest) – If Oblak’s situation was frustrating, Ola Aina’s situation reached a whole new level during the international break. The right-back has been plagued by injuries recently and could only watch as Nigeria were eliminated in a disastrous penalty shootout.
Super Eagles manager Eric Schell limited his penalty options by having attacking players sent off and enduring a shootout before suffering the consequences.
CB: Vili Orbán (Hungary & RB Leipzig) – As Parrott drove away to celebrate against Ireland, Willi Orbán was among the Hungarian players heartbroken by the late defeat.
They had the fortune of a World Cup, but it was taken away from them in the harshest way possible. The RB Leipzig man is now 33 years old and may never get the chance to play in the tournament.
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CB: Nikola Milenkovic (Serbia & Nottingham Forest) – The fact that Serbia also has a talented defender like Nikola Milenkovic at their disposal further confuses Serbia’s struggles, but that sums up his season. The Nottingham Forest star struggled to repeat last season’s form at club level, which he has now used to break out with his country.
LB: Milos Kerkez (Hungary & Liverpool) – It’s been a difficult season for Milos Kerkes. The left-back has failed to impress at Liverpool and was recently dethroned by Andy Robertson. Now, his World Cup dreams have been shattered and they are slowly but surely turning into a nightmare.
midfield
CM: Carlos Baleva (Cameron & Brighton) – Carlos Baleva is undoubtedly destined for big things, but the world stage will have to wait for him after Cameroon were eliminated in the qualifying round against the Democratic Republic of Congo. The 21-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder still has opportunities in his future, which could coincide with an impressive move at club level.
CM: Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary & Liverpool) – Szoboszlai was left speechless by Parrott’s late winner. The Hungarian captain would have set his sights on the World Cup when his team took the lead before half-time.
But just 45 minutes later, he saw his dreams brutally torn apart. Szoboszlai, who has been a rare standout player for Liverpool this season and often led Hungary to victory, has certainly struggled.
RM: Brian Mbeumo (Cameroon & Manchester United) – Like Belaba, his international teammate and potential club teammate in the future, Brian Mbeumo will also miss the 2026 World Cup.
When he was at the peak of his powers and everything was starting to come together at Old Trafford, there would have been plenty of hope across Cameroon that the winger could qualify. But in the end, they had trouble marking the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
LM: Khvitya Kvaratskhelia (Georgia & PSG) – As talented as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is, Georgia were always likely to lose in World Cup qualifying. They finished in 3rd place in Group E, with Spain and Turkey occupying the top two spots, and with just one win out of six games, they were forced to settle for third place, ahead of Bulgaria.
attack
ST: Victor Osimhen (Nigalia & Galasalize) – In recent years, the biggest stage has continued to overtake Osimhen. Since falling out with Napoli, he has played most of his club football for Galatasaray, despite persistent rumors about his links with Europe’s biggest clubs and leagues. Now, he will miss out on the World Cup, and after being substituted, he didn’t even get a penalty as Nigeria were eliminated.
ST: Selhou Guirassi (Guinea & Borussia Dortmund) – Selhou Guirassi is one of the most impressive strikers in European football. He has been a consistent star player in the Bundesliga in recent years, but he won’t get the chance to do the same for Guinea next summer. His team finished 4th in Group G despite losing only 3 out of 10 games.
