World Cup 2026: 10 outstanding players left out by the national teams

Técnicos from major teams made controversial choices in the call-ups for Copa of Mundo 2026. Alguns from the main names in international football were left out of the final lists not due to injury or performance, but due to the strategic choice of the coaches. Inglaterra leads the number of negative surprises, with exclusions that generated debate in specialized comments.

Inglaterra leads the most commented deletions

Thomas Tuchel surprised by leaving out striker Phil Foden, from Manchester City, attacking midfielder Cole Palmer, from Chelsea, and defender Harry Maguire, from Manchester United. Foden had been losing streak at the club in the last two seasons. Cole Palmer, champion of Copa of Mundo of Clubes with Chelsea less than a year ago, was facing a difficult season for his team. Maguire, aged 33, publicly expressed his disappointment: “Shocked and devastated”, he said in an interview with an English radio station.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luke Shaw also missed out. Alexander-Arnold, who left Liverpool for Real Madrid in 2025, suffered a series of injuries and lost space in the national team after playing just one game for Inglaterra in 2025. Shaw, 30-year-old left-back and starter in Mundo’s last Copa, had been losing space since Eurocopa 2024.

Outras favorite selections with surprises

No Brasil, coach Carlo Ancelotti has excluded Chelsea attacker João Pedro from the final list. The terrible campaign of the English club, tenth placed in the Premier League and outside of European competitions, had an impact on the Brazilian’s career, who was a constant presence in previous squads.

França, full of options, made Didier Deschamps give up experienced players. Além from Randal Kolo Muani, from Tottenham, goalkeepers Lucas Chevalier (PSG) and Alphonse Areola (West Ham), midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi (Fenerbahçe) and attackers Christopher Nkunku (Milan) and Kingsley Coman were left out (Al-Nassr). The abundance of talent left many out.

Eduardo Camavinga, 23-year-old midfielder of Real Madrid, was one of the biggest highlights among those excluded by França. Apesar due to specific injuries and the bad phase of Real Madrid, he had been called up for the March friendlies and had hopes of his second Copa from Mundo.

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Ausências in other confederations

Portugal left João Palhinha off the list. The midfielder was a starter in the Euro 2024 and champion as a reserve in the Liga of the Nações in 2025, but lost consistency. Seu’s performance at Tottenham, a club that faced a bad campaign at Premier League, may have weighed against his call-up.

Dean Huijsen, a young 21-year-old defender from Real Madrid, was left out of Espanha. Luis from Fuente preferred other options, leaving the most successful club in the world without representatives for the first time in an Copa from Mundo. Decepcionado, Huijsen shared a tongue-in-cheek post of their father on social media.

Marc-André Ter Stegen was deleted by Alemanha. The goalkeeper, who was considered a natural successor to Manuel Neuer, suffered serious injuries that kept him away from Barcelona. Mesmo on loan to Girona to get minutes, did not make the final squad. Curiosamente, Neuer returned to the national team, resuming his starting position.

Exclusões also on Colômbia

Colômbia left out two prominent attackers: Kevin Viveros, from Athletic-PR, Campeonato Brasileiro’s top scorer with 10 goals, and Rafael Borré, from Internacional. Ambos were left off the coach’s list.

Seleção from ge with the excluded:

• Goleiro: Marc-André Ter Stegen (Alemanha)
• Lateral-right: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Inglaterra)
• Zagueiro: Dean Huijsen (Espanha)
• Zagueiro: Harry Maguire (Inglaterra)
• Lateral-left: Luke Shaw (Inglaterra)
• Volante: Eduardo Camavinga (França)
• Volante: João Palhinha (Portugal)
• Atacante: Phil Foden (Inglaterra)
• Atacante: Cole Palmer (Inglaterra)
• Atacante: João Pedro (Brasil)
• Atacante: Kolo Muani (França)