Real Madrid · UEFA Nations League · Defender · #12 · England · 27 yrs
The 2026 World Cup will be missing several of global soccer's biggest stars, enough to construct an incredibly elite Absent XI watching from home. The 2026 World Cup is shaping up to be an unprecedented, historic spectacle. For the first time, 48 teams will compete across three host nations—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—chasing the ultimate glory in soccer history. The tournament in North America is ready to welcome icons of the game like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lamine Yamal, and Kylian Mbappe. Yet, a striking list of world-class talent will be noticeably missing from the pitch this summer. For some, an agonizingly timed injury shattered their World Cup dreams, as seen with Brazil’s Eder Militao and Rodrygo, or Germany’s Serge Gnabry. For others, the omission comes down to strict, high-stakes managerial decisions. Powerhouse nations boast such intense roster competition that managers have ruthlessly left behind star names, highlighted by Thomas Tuchel’s shocking decisions to omit Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold from England’s final 26-man squad. Trent Alexander-Arnold of England. (Getty Images) The 2026 World Cup Absent XI Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy): Despite racking up 64 caps and an Euros trophy for his country, the Manchester City star will incredibly miss his third consecutive World Cup after Italy once again failed to qualify. Defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold (England): In one of the most controversial roster cuts of the year, England boss Thomas Tuchel opted to leave the elite playmaker out of his tactical plans for North America.Harry Maguire (England): Another high-profile casualty of Tuchel’s defensive overhaul for the Three Lions.Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands): The Manchester United center-back was forced to accept defeat and miss the tournament entirely after undergoing corrective back surgery in mid-May.Marcos Acuña (Argentina): A 2022 World Cup winner who will not be defending the crown, having been entirely excluded from Lionel Scaloni’s highly competitive squad. Midfielders Sandro Tonali (Italy): Much like his compatriot Donnarumma, the dynamic Newcastle midfielder is trapped on the outside looking in due to Italy’s qualification failure.Eduardo Camavinga (France): In a testament to France’s terrifying midfield depth, the Real Madrid star was left out of Didier Deschamps’ final World Cup squad selection.Cole Palmer (England): Perhaps the most shocking tactical omission in the World Cup. Despite a sensational club season, Palmer was left off England’s flight to the United States by Tuchel. Forwards Rodrygo (Brazil): The Seleção frontline takes a massive hit as the Real Madrid winger was officially ruled out due to a late physical injury.Robert Lewandowski (Poland): The legendary striker misses out on one final World Cup run after Poland suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Sweden in the UEFA playoff final.Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia): The PSG star won’t bring his signature flair to North America, as Georgia was unable to navigate the brutal European qualifying cycles.
Ronald Koeman, the Barcelona icon and Netherlands head coach, shared his thoughts on Denzel Dumfries' move to Real Madrid. Pending official confirmation, Denzel Dumfries has already agreed to join Real Madrid for the 2025-26 season. In that context, his Netherlands national team coach, Ronald Koeman, weighed in on the move and made a reference to Barcelona. Koeman spoke at a press conference following the Netherlands‘ 1-0 loss to Algeria on Wednesday and acknowledged that Dumfries missed the friendly because he was completing the final steps of his transfer to Real Madrid. “Yes, he had his medical examination near Zeist,” the coach explained, according to Diario Sport. The city of Zeist, located in the province of Utrecht, is about 54 miles from Rotterdam, where the national team played against Algeria. “I gave him permission.” Asked about his opinion on the next step in Dumfries’ career, Koeman was clear. “I don’t know if the transfer is completely finalized yet, but if anyone deserves it, it’s him,” the coach began. “That said, I would have preferred to see him play for FC Barcelona.” Koeman playing for Barcelona in 1994. The comment reflects Ronald Koeman’s strong connection to Barcelona. He starred for the club between 1989 and 1995, making 264 appearances and scoring 88 goals. The most important of those came in the 1992 European Cup final against Sampdoria, giving Barcelona their first UEFA Champions League title. Dumfries to compete for a place at Real Madrid The signing of Denzel Dumfries addresses a clear need for Real Madrid. Following the departure of Daniel Carvajal, the club suffered a significant loss at right back, considering the Spanish defender had held that position with distinction for more than a decade. Now Dumfries will be tasked with replicating the performances he consistently delivered for Inter Milan in order to earn a place in the starting lineup, competing with another international star: Trent Alexander-Arnold, who arrived in Madrid from Liverpool last summer. What’s next for Netherlands With Denzel Dumfries back with the squad, Netherlands have one final friendly before beginning their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. They will face Uzbekistan on June 8. After that, they will have six days off before opening Group F play against Japan. Their other opponents in the group stage will be Sweden and Tunisia.
