10 most valuable players who will miss the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Some major names will be missing from the 2022 World Cup
Some major names will be missing from the 2022 World Cup

#7 Martin Odegaard (Norway) - €40 million

Arsenal v Liverpool - Premier League
Arsenal v Liverpool - Premier League

Another Arsenal player to miss out on the FIFA World Cup is young Martin Odegaard. The 22-year old spent last season on loan with the Gunners before permanently signing for them this summer.

Odegaard is a very dynamic midfielder with a lot of potential under his belt. His incisive passing combined with his vision makes him a wonderful playmaker. The former Real Madrid man could be a star player in the future if he develops in the right fashion.

With Norway finishing third in Group G of the UEFA qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup, Odegaard will miss out on playing in the tournament. Valued at €40 million, the Arsenal midfielder can hopefully play in the next FIFA World Cup in 2026.


#6 Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso) - €40 million

Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Eintracht Frankfurt - DFB Cup: Second Round
Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Eintracht Frankfurt - DFB Cup: Second Round

Not many might have heard the name Edmond Tapsoba. The 22-year old is a very dynamic and sharp defender, currently playing for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.

With his speed, composure and passing ability, the Burkinabe is often compared to how Jerome Boateng played. The tall centre-back has been touted to achieve big things and can soon be expected to play for a bigger club.

Burkina Faso put up a strong fight but could only finish second in Group A of Round two of the CAF qualifiers. As such, they missed out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Valued at €40 million, Edmond Tapsoba could be seen playing in the Premier League in the future.


#5 Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast) - €45 million

Zaha's trickery will be missed in the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Zaha's trickery will be missed in the 2022 FIFA World Cup

After the end of almost every season, it is expected that Wilfried Zaha will leave Crystal Palace. Surprisingly, no transfer has taken place and the Ivorian has remained a vital cog for the Eagles.

With his amazing dribbling and goal-scoring abilities, Zaha has been the messiah for Crystal Palace more often than not. He scored 11 Premier League goals in 30 appearances last season and has already scored four times in 10 league appearances this term.

Unfortunately, Zaha could not help his country qualify further and will miss out playing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Valued at €45 million, the Crystal Palace winger deserves more recognition for some of the wonderful performances that he has given so far.


#4 Franck Kessie (Ivory Coast) - €55 million

Frank Kessie would have been playing his first FIFA World Cup had Ivory Coast qualified
Frank Kessie would have been playing his first FIFA World Cup had Ivory Coast qualified

Franck Kessie started his club career in Italy as he came through the ranks at Atalanta. After a two-year loan spell with AC Milan, the central midfielder signed for them permanently in 2019.

Ever since then, Kessie has been an important player for the Serie A giants. His ability to win the ball back and at the same time feed the ball to his attackers has helped him excel. The Ivorian midfielder runs out of contract at the end of the season and there are a number of suitors waiting for his signature.

Since Ivory Coast have been knocked out of their chances of playing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Kessie can now focus on his club career. Valued at €55 million, he is expected to be playing for a bigger club come next season.

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Edited by Nived Zenith
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