The World Cup gives players an opportunity to put their names in lights on the sport’s biggest stage.
But for some, the tournament was over before it began, with long term injuries sidelining a wealth of footballing talent.
Other stars will be forced to watch from home after their nation failed to qualify, with Italy, Denmark and Nigeria among the highest-ranked teams that will be absent.
Injury is an evitable part of football, but who are the unlucky players that will be missing out?
Hugo Ekitike (France, age 21, caps: 8)
As Liverpool were dumped out of the Champions League by PSG in April, their woes were compounded by the news that Hugo Ekitike had ruptured his achilles tendon, putting him out for the rest of the season and the World Cup.
The French striker has often been a route out of trouble for the Reds in his first year at Anfield, scoring 17 times.
Ekitike played in all six of France’s qualifying games but won’t be available to make his major tournament debut this summer.
Rodrygo (Brazil, age 25, caps: 37)
Brazilian talisman, Rodrygo, has had an unfavourable season at Real Madrid, with now departed head coach Xabi Alonso dropping him out of the starting XI.
Since Alonso’s exit, Rodrygo managed less than 90 minutes before coming off against Getafe with a cruciate ligament injury.
Despite a season coming off the bench, the winger was bound to play an important role for Brazil in North America, but now they’ll have to look elsewhere for goals.
Xavi Simons (Netherlands, age 23, caps: 44)
Xavi Simons’ first season in the Premier League has not been as productive as he would have hoped, with Spurs sat just a point above the relegation zone and Simons contributing just two goals.
He is now not expected to return to action until early January 2027, after he ruptured his anterior cruciate at Molineux in April.
It couldn’t have come at a worse time, with Netherlands a man down for the World Cup and Tottenham still battling for survival.
Big players from absent nations
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, age 27, caps: 81)
Manchester City’s new shot-stopper is part of a talented cohort of Italian players missing out on their third World Cup in a row.
It comes after they lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties, with Donnarumma unable to repeat his heroics from the Euro 2020 final.
Despite making his professional debut at AC Milan aged just 16, the wait for a World Cup continues for the goalie.
Robert Lewandowski (Poland, age 37, caps: 165)
Robert Lewandowski has been one of this generation’s most productive goal machines, but he will miss out on what would likely have been his final World Cup.
Poland’s all time leading goalscorer couldn’t pull his side through qualifying, falling to a late Viktor Gyökeres winner that put Sweden in the tournament.
Lewandowski will be 41 by the time his next opportunity arrives in 2030 and with his Barcelona contract expiring this summer, his future looks uncertain.
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, age 25, caps: 49)
Georgia were a surprise package at Euro 2024, beating Portugal in the group stage and making it to the round of 16 before going out to eventual winners, Spain.
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia had already emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting players, adoringly nicknamed ‘Kvaradona’ during his time at Napoli.
With his nation unable to secure their second ever major tournament appearance, Kvaratskhelia’s season rests on a strong finish with PSG.
To read more about England’s players who could miss out on Tuchel’s 26-man squad, click below.