TThroughout history, there have been many times when soccer stars came close to playing in the World Cup, only to be sidelined by injury. These absences not only shaped their careers, but also changed the course of the national team.
As preparations for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, are underway, we take a look back at the major absences.
7 star players who missed the World Cup due to injury
Injuries are part of the game, but when they occur on the eve of a big tournament like the World Cup, the impact is even greater.
After leading Brazil to victory in 1994, Canarinha’s idol was aiming to repeat the feat in France in 1998. However, due to a muscle injury in his right calf, he was unable to maintain his best form and was sidelined. Verde Amarella reached the final without him, but lost 3-0 to the hosts.
Pep Guardiola (2002 Japan-Korea)
Before becoming one of today’s most prominent managers, Pep built the Spanish national team from within, from the midfield. However, a few weeks before the 2002 tournament, he unfortunately sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee, forcing him to miss the World Cup.
David Beckham (South Africa 2010)
Beckham was about to make history and become the first English player to appear in four World Cups. However, on March 14, 2010, he ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing for Milan. Despite undergoing surgery, he decided to accompany the England squad as part of the coaching staff.
Radamel Falcao (Brazil 2014)
Falcao has achieved great results as Colombia’s leader. However, all that was put on hold when he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a French Cup match on January 22nd. He tried to recover in time, but couldn’t make it.
The blow to France in this tournament was devastating, with one of the most deeply felt absences being that of Pogba. The midfielder had been suffering from a knee injury that led to surgery with a meniscus problem. Just when he seemed to be on the road to recovery, a new muscle injury developed in his right thigh, forcing him to withdraw from the World Cup.
With this, France lost one of their leaders, a player who scored in the final against Croatia and was a key figure in the 2018 Russia tournament. But he wasn’t the only one. N’Golo Kanto (hamstring), Presnel Kimpembu (Achilles tendon), Christopher Nkunku (lateral ligament tear) and Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema suffered a quadriceps tear a few days before his debut (he retired from Les Bleus shortly after).
Senegal held out hope as long as possible. Mann was injured in a match against Bayern Munich a few days before the tournament. He was initially included in the roster, but subsequent tests revealed he was unfit for the tournament and the Senegalese played without a captain in Qatar, which was scheduled to be his second World Cup appearance after the 2018 tournament in Russia.
Marco Reus (Brazil 2014 / Qatar 2022)
This is definitely one of the most heartbreaking stories as Reus was forced to miss the World Cup twice due to injury. In 2014, he suffered a partial tear of the ligament in his left ankle in the last friendly match before the tournament, and was eliminated. Fortunately, Germany went on to win the title.
Then, for the 2022 Qatar tournament, he was not included in manager Hansi Flick’s final roster due to a prolonged ankle injury sustained in September of the same year that did not allow him to recover in time.
Injuries are one of the cruelest aspects of football, and an injury especially right before the World Cup can ruin years of preparation in seconds and take a player who was destined to be a star away from the biggest stage. These absences not only deprived the players of the opportunity to compete on the biggest stage, but also changed the history of the national team.
