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We are headed into one final international break for the year and there are mixed emotions amongst fans. While some teams will feel disrupted after being in a good run of form, others will get a much-needed break to turn things around at the business end of the campaign.
Most nations in Europe and Africa will be involved in international friendlies, while some will be part of the World Cup play-offs. South American teams are also still on the hunt for a spot in the World Cup later this year.
The international break provides an opportunity for young and promising talents to showcase their skills for their nation. Phenomenal domestic performances have led to several stars getting a national team call-up.
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The flip side of this is that managers are left in a conundrum while picking their squads. Many superstars have been snubbed for upcoming international matches which has left fans scratching their heads.
Here are five stars that have surprisingly been left out of their national squads:
#5 Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Jesus has been left out of Tite’s Brazil squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Brazil have already qualified for the World Cup but will try and experiment so that they are thoroughly prepared ahead of the tournament in Qatar.
Brazil have no dearth of attacking talent and in-form stars such as Raphinha, Vinicius Jr., and Neymar will be a threat down the wing. Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli also earned a call-up after his phenomenal season with the Gunners. Jesus was not included in the latest Brazil team after making the last three previous squads.
Jesus is Manchester City’s leading assist provider with eight so far in the Premier League but has struggled in terms of goalscoring. Whether the 24-year-old will be part of the World Cup squad is also under speculation. City have been managing without a serial goalscorer and are reportedly looking to sign Erling Haaland.
#4 Ousmane Dembele
Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele has not been included in the French national side for their international friendlies. Les Blues have already qualified for the World Cup and are up against Ivory Coast and South Africa in the upcoming international break.
Dembele has missed the majority of the season due to injury but has been in good form of late. The Frenchman has scored one goal and provided seven assists in his last eleven La Liga games for the Blaugrana.
France are stacked with superstars, especially in their attack. The presence of Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, and Antoine Griezmann has made Didier Deschamps’ job a lot easier. He explained that the selection was based on the fact that a few players were lacking game time. Alongside Dembele, Nabil Fekir and Olivier Giroud were also notable absentees.
#3 Fikayo Tomori
Another exclusion in England’s squad that has drawn criticism is Fikayo Tomori. The 24-year-old has been snubbed by Gareth Southgate despite his incredible performances for AC Milan this season.
Tomori, who turned 24 years old last December, has already established himself as one of Milan’s most important players. The Englishman has missed a few games due to injury but has otherwise been a reliable presence for the Rossoneri.
Tomori has been an influential part of Milan’s campaign that could end with them lifting their 19th league title. The Rossoneri are undefeated in their last five games and are three points clear at the top of the Serie A table.
The 24-year-old missed out after Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi received his first senior international call-up. Harry Maguire, Ben White, Conor Coady, and Tyrone Mings are the other centre-backs who will join the squad.
#2 Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho has not made England’s 25-man squad in a decision that has raised a few eyebrows. Sancho is not the only Manchester United player to be snubbed by the England side; Marcus Rashford has also been omitted from Gareth Southgate’s squad. Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling, and Jack Grealish have been chosen in their stead.
Southgate explained that the other attacking players are “slightly ahead” of Sancho when asked about his decision. The omission has drawn a lot of criticism from both fans and pundits because Sancho has been quite impressive of late.
United spent a massive £73 million for the services of Sancho. After initially failing to live up to the hype, the 21-year-old seems to have found his feet. Sancho has a goal and three assists to his name in his last four Premier League appearances.
#1 David De Gea
Spanish national coach Luis Enrique made a shock omission in his 23-man squad by excluding David De Gea. The Manchester United goalie has been the standout performer for his club and is largely the reason they are still in the top-four race. With 105 saves in the Premier League, De Gea is only behind Leed’s Illan Meslier who has made 113.
The Spaniard has been dropped for Spain’s upcoming friendlies against Albania and Iceland. Brentford keeper David Raya has instead been given a chance in the squad, alongside Unai Simon and Robert Sanchez.
Enrique’s bold decision might raise a few questions about De Gea’s future in the national side. Although he has pulled off magnificent saves, De Gea has often been criticized for a lack of overall adaptability that the modern-day goalkeeper needs. This may be a reason for his omission, but it is a surprising one nonetheless.
