The FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial soccer fiesta that brings together the very best of the world's football players making for a breathtaking as well as an exciting spectacle.
This time, the tournament would undoubtedly be losing its lure though, with a glut of the global's biggest names set to miss out of travelling to footballing fanfare in Russia.
The prestigious FIFA World Cup
So while the world's top talents who had inspired their respective countries to qualification gear up for next year's extravaganza in the humid colds of Russia, NAIJ.com will be taking a look at the rather unfortunate star players that will likely miss out on the 2018 World Cup as they failed to inspire their respective countries in securing a World Cup place.
1. Gareth Bale:
Gareth Bale
Unarguably the biggest footie star to miss out of the World Cup travelling party. After that sensational run to the semifinals in the 2016 European competition, Wales had done little to show up when it counted the most.
The Real Madrid talisman was forced to watch on from the sidelines after sustaining an injury as his country went to war with the Republic of Ireland in a crucial qualifying decider. And it eventually proved costly, James McClean's 57th minute pile driver put paying to any lingering hopes Chris Coleman's side were harbouring of making it to the showpiece.
2. Alexis Sanchez:
Sanchez will not be in Russia as Chile failed to secure qalification
In a CONMEBOL qualifying group consisting of Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Argentina, Chile turned out to be the odd-team, even with Sanchez's seven goals spurring them on at different stages in the course of their pulsating qualifying campaign.
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A nervy finish saw Argentina and Peru pick up play-off spots while a chastening defeat at the hands of Brazil consigned Chile to sixth place on the South American log and of course, elimination.
3. Riyad Mahrez:
Algeria's woeful performance will see that there would be a World Cup without Mahrez
Mahrez and his team mates were made to endure a frustrating World Cup qualification campaign in CAF's Group B, finishing at the base of the log with just two points. The height of their lackadaisical displays came in their consecutive home and away defeats to Zambia.
Little was done from there on, however, setting the tempo for a disappointing outcome for the Leicester City star as The Super Eagles of Nigeria picked the sole group ticket.
4. Arjen Robben:
Robben retired from international football after his country failed to secure qualification World Cup qualification
After the Netherlands had starred in the last two editions of the World Cup, it is saddening that they would not be participating at Russia next year, so much for having a certain mercurial Arjen Robben in their fold.
The Bayern Munich man announced his international retirement minutes after his brace in their 2-0 win over Sweden, a victory which fell short of the required margin to leapfrog their opponents into the play-off place.
5 Arturo Vidal:
Vidal joined the list of stars that retired from their national team after failure to secure World Cup place
Well, Alexis Sanchez was not the only Chilean star left smarting after Chile's World Cup fiasco. Vidal would feel hard done by, especially with six of his team's goals as La Roja ultimately settled for a free summer next year.
Interestingly, it is the first time since 2006 that the South Americans have failed to qualify for the World Cup finals.
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6 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang:
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could not inspire Gabon to a World Cup place
Gabon have never qualified for a World Cup finals but Aubameyang came agonisingly close to making it happen for the tiny African nation.
But after reaching the third round of CAF's qualification phase, Auba and Gabon found it too hard a hurdle to scale. At 28, the Borussia Dortmund star might never leave his goalscoring mark on the grandest of football stage.
7 Jan Oblak:
Jan Oblak
Voted the best goalkeeper in La Liga for the past successive years, not even the Athletico Madrid's shot stopper heroics was enough to hand Slovenia a World cup berth or even a play-off spot at best, and the country's hope of a maiden appearance at the mundial would have to go on as England won their group.
8 Edin Dzeko:
Despite being in good form of late, Dzeko will not be in Russia 2018
Bosnia-Herzegovina came up short in Euro's Group H which saw an irrepressible Belgium effortlessly beat every of their opponents to secure the top spot.
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Greece, thankfully, moved on to the play-offs while the Roma star and his country would have to watch on from afar by the turn of the year. Dzeko would particularly feel grieved after dispatching five for his country in the course of the campaign.
9 Leonardo Bonucci:
No World Cup party for the Italians
Gian Pierro Ventura is long gone but nothing would be done to change the fact that Bonucci and Italy would not be turning out in Russia next year. After a dire group campaign saw them clinch a play-off spot, Sweden crashed their party, triumphing 1-0 on aggregate, a sign far too ominous of the shambles the Azurri are embroiled in.
10 Zlatan Ibrahimovic:
will Zlatan come back from International retirement?
It is telling that a certain Ibrahimovic might yet miss out of the Russia tournament next year even with Sweden having picked their ticket for the 2018 showpiece.
The prolific Manchester United striker had earlier announced his retirement from international football after Sweden's last game at Euro 2016 and as such, he would have to rescind that decision in order to be able to feature for the Blue and Yellow at the fiesta.
It remains to be seen if the mercurial marksman would be willing to do so.
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Source: Sports.naija.ng
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