Man United, Liverpool and Arsenal stars in danger of missing out on expanded 48-team World Cup
As the stagger begins to unwind across various continents’ World Cup qualifying competitions, we’re starting to get a clearer idea about which countries – and thus which star players – might somehow still be in danger of missing out on a tournament almost everyone (well, 48 countries) now qualifies for.
Fair to say the peril for these guys still ranges from ‘mild’ to ‘extreme’ to ‘confirmed’ and there’s plenty still to keep an eye on across the next international breaks in November and March.
You can check out how World Cup qualifying for the new expanded 48-team tournament works here, because in lots of places it’s now very different to how it was before.
In particular, as you’ll see, there are some huge names from European countries particularly grateful for the whopping great safety net that’s in place for teams who won their most recent Nations League group – at whatever level.
Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres (Sweden)
Let the always entertaining and in no way boring Liverpool-Arsenal arguments begin over who is better out of Isak and Viktor Gyokeres. And then row in, mischief blazing, and insist the answer is in fact Dejan Kulusevski, actually.
But the main point here is that right now all of them are at serious risk of missing the World Cup, with Sweden already looking mighty relieved to have that Nations League-based safety net to get them into the play-offs because they sit forlornly right at the very bottom of their qualifying group at the halfway stage, eight whole points behind perennial qualifiers Switzerland and three behind second-placed Kosovo.
Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
Having cited ‘mental tiredness’ as he made himself unavailable for June’s international break, Poland’s talisman was replaced as captain by coach Michal Probierz. Lewandowski’s response was to say that he would not play for Poland again until the coach was sacked.
A damaging 2-1 defeat to Finland on the back of the Lewandowki spat meant that by the time the September internationals came along, Probierz was gone and Lewandowski was back for an impressive 1-1 draw in Holland secured by Matty Cash’s late equaliser.
A 3-1 return win over Finland means fears of missing out altogether have now eased, but even a win over Netherlands in the next international break is unlikely to save them from what will be tricky play-off routes in which 16 entrants of assorted quality are whittled down to four qualifiers.
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy)
Getting battered by a ridiculously talented Norway side has cost manager Luciano Spalletti his job but it could also help cost Italy a place at the World Cup, and that includes the new Manchester City goalkeeper.
Already looks like it’s play-offs at best for a team trailing that Haaland-powered Norway machine by six points with three games to play.
Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium)
A opening draw with North Macedonia and then a mistake-riddled 4-3 win over Wales does not exactly scream World Cup contenders.
The problem is that Belgium are blessed with attacking talent in De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Jeremy Doku, Leandro Trossard and Youri Tielemans, but they have Wout Faes at the back. What a shame if the Manchester City legend bows out of international football with a failed qualifying campaign.
They may still win their group and avoid the hassle of the play-offs but unlike their rivals Wales and North Macedonia – the three teams are currently separated by just two points – the Belgians have no Nations League escape route into the play-offs.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia)
Having gone up another level following his move to PSG and swift treble glory inside six months, Kvaratskhelia is now well established among the very best players in the world.
But he still faces an uphill struggle to qualify for a World Cup with Georgia, having to come through what is the toughest and most competitive qualification region and also the one to benefit the least from the expansion to 48 teams.
Georgia currently trail Spain and Turkey in Group E and must finish in the top two to have any chance.
Nikola Milenkovic (Serbia)
Interesting times for the centre-back, dealing with the Angeball whirlwind at club level and now injured and unable to help his Serbia team-mates avoid a 1-0 defeat to Latvia that has left their top-two chances in England’s group looking bleak.
And there’s no Nations League helping hand here either.
Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon)
Even with Africa being one of the big winners from the World Cup’s expansion, a couple of traditional big names have got themselves in bother.
Cameroon look set to miss out on qualification to Cape Verde in African Group D, and will then be relying on being one of the four best runners-up from the nine groups just to reach the play-offs. And if they win the play-offs it only gets them to… another play-off – the intercontinental ones that will decide the final two qualifiers in March.
Plenty of familiar names in the Cameroon squad, but Manchester United’s big summer signing from Brentford would be the biggest.
Yves Bissouma (Mali)
Out of favour at Tottenham and out of the World Cup after Mali could finish only third in their qualifying group behind Ghana and Madagascar.
And to make matters worse, he left the field on a stretcher during Mali’s final game of the campaign after suffering a nasty-looking ankle injury.
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
Another African country with plenty of World Cup pedigree that appear set to miss out is Nigeria. Galatasaray striker and Liverpool mini-crisis contributor Osimhen is perhaps the biggest global star from a squad that has underperformed badly to trail Benin and South Africa with just one match to go to try and salvage the situation, but he is far from alone. Alex Iwobi, Wilfrid Ndidi, Ademola Lookman, Ola Aina and Kelechi Iheanacho have all been involved.
