The 2022 FIFA World Cup is now just a few months away, and football fans are already counting on it. The sport's best national teams will clash on the biggest stage for the biggest prize in this beautiful sport. Over the past year, we have seen countries from all over the world compete to be one of the 32 teams that have made it to the World Cup. While many of football's most high-profile national teams and players have qualified, some of the best will not make it to the World Cup. This is sad news for football fans because they want to see all their favourite stars in the biggest tournament in the football world. But this time, it is not so, so without wasting time, let's look at the four football stars who will not play in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The first name, "David Alaba", has had a very successful career at the club level. He joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2021 after a stellar stint at Bayern Munich. Alaba won the La Liga title and Champions League in his first season with Los Blancos. However, luck has not been very kind to Alaba in international football. The versatile Austrian has never played in a World Cup and will have to wait another four years to try his luck again. Unfortunately, he can end his career without playing in the World Cup.
Another name, "Marco Verratti", is one of the best midfielders of his generation. The Italian is a technically talented player in the mould of modern-day greats like Xavi and Andres Iniesta. The little Italian is excellent at pulling strings from midfield and orchestrating plays for his team. Verratti represents extremely talented Italian footballers who will not play in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
"Riyad Mahrez" was among the most in-form forwards in the Premier League in the 2021–22 season. Alger International has excellent technology and is as unpredictable and elusive as we have seen recently. Unfortunately, we will not see Mahrez's magic in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The name "Karl Toko" was Ekambi's stoppage-time winner who sent Algeria packing, and it was a brutal way of going in Mahrez's favour. Four years ago, Mohamed Salah's last-minute winner from the penalty spot against Congo drove Egypt to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, the Liverpool legend could not inspire his national team to qualify for the World Cup this time.
Sadly, one of the most in-form players in the world is not playing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.