The list of players missing the 2026 World Cup has Ilkay Gündogan, who isn't going to represent Germany. There are many players with huge talent competing at the 2026 World Cup. However, Germany will not have a midfielder like İlkay Gündoğan present in their team for this edition. The reason behind Gündoğan’s absence in Germany is simple: he retired from the national team. At Euro 2024, when his country hosted the tournament, many players said goodbye, with the loss to Spain in the quarterfinals being their final match. About his retirement, the player wrote a message on social media. Gündoğan said: “I look back with great pride on 82 caps for my home country, a number I could never have dreamed of. My highlight was definitely the huge honor of captaining the team at our home European Championship last summer! After all those years, we finally managed to make the nation proud again. I’m very happy that I was able to play a part in that.” Gündoğan’s career with Germany While the trophy case with Germany does not look very full, his career has been fantastic. Gündoğan displayed all his qualities from the first match he played for his country in 2011. Gündogan was honored next to Müller and Neuer (Maja Hitij/Getty Images for VW) A very common theme in his career has been the unlucky number of injuries he has endured, which may be one reason why he never lifted a major honor with Germany, as a back issue kept him out in 2014. While the creative midfielder was part of the teams in Russia and Qatar that were eliminated in the group stage, Gündoğan finished his time representing Germany with a respectable 82 matches, in which he scored 19 goals, an impressive total for someone in his position. Gündoğan’s club career Gündoğan has been playing for Galatasaray since last year, but he has also featured for some of the best clubs in the world. After spells at Bochum, 1. FC Nürnberg, and a great run at Borussia Dortmund, where he won the Bundesliga, the midfielder moved to the Premier League. At Manchester City, he enjoyed his best years, including a Champions League title, the first in the club’s history, and 304 matches in that shirt. He then spent a year at Barcelona before returning to Manchester City for one more season. His club career currently stands at 660 matches.
The list of former champions at the 2026 World Cup is missing player as Thomas Muller isn't competing for Germany. This competition makes heroes in every edition, but a player who made history with his team is not going to be at the 2026 World Cup, with Thomas Müller not representing Germany. The reason Müller is missing from the team is that the forward retired from Germany in 2024. His final match in the jersey in which he made history by lifting the trophy in 2014 was the Euro 2024 quarterfinal loss to Spain, played in front of their fans. While his experience could be a huge help for the young team that Germany currently has, Müller is already 36 years old. Leaving Bayern Munich for Vancouver Whitecaps also suggests the forward may no longer want to face the demands of the European level. Müller’s career with Germany A player who made an impact on a great generation from a young age naturally ends up with impressive numbers. Germany were dominant with players who were regular figures in the national team, and Müller was no exception. Müller lifted the trophy in 2014 (Clive Rose/Getty Images) It is not easy to enter the record books in a country like this, which makes Müller’s history even bigger, as he is the third player with the most appearances for Germany, with 131 matches, behind only Lothar Matthäus and Miroslav Klose. His name also appears high on the scoring list, even if he was not a pure goalscorer. Müller’s 45 goals put him sixth among Germany’s all-time top scorers, tied with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in a legendary list. Müller’s farewell The edition that saw the forward shine in 2014 included the 7-1 semifinal win over Brazil that set a precedent. Müller’s performance that year was not limited to being a role player. His contribution of five goals and three assists in such a powerful team remains hard to match, which made his farewell video even more emotional. Müller said: “When I made my first appearance for the German national team, I would never have dreamed of all this. Great victories and bitter defeats. Sometimes at rock bottom, only to stand up again. Competing against the best players in the world alongside fantastic teammates, with whom I experienced countless unforgettable moments.”
Mexico City’s storied Azteca Stadium has been the stage for some of the most iconic moments in World Cup history, from Pelé’s third title to Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal. The hallowed venue hosts the 2026 World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday, a throwback to the 2010 curtain-raiser in Johannesburg – and a rematch between coaches who faced off as players in the same stadium 40 years ago.
As the 2026 World Cup begins to draw attention, footballers preparing for the event have become more focused on strength training, recovery work, mobility, and conditioning. It is this fresh look at physical training that is shown in the “Strength Built At Home,” campaign; a collaboration between home-fitness brand RITFIT and Marco Reus, former captain […] The post Marco Reus Partners with RITFIT to Bring Professional Training Home Ahead of 2026 World Cup appeared first on SoccerNews.
With last week’s agonising defeat at the hands of Stuttgart ending Freiburg’s DFB Pokal dreams for another year, their last chance for a trophy this season now rests on the Europa League. They tra...
