World Cup 2018: 5 biggest snubs in national squads

In the run-up to the World Cup, all eyes are on national team managers to see who will make it to the side and who will not. Players perform at the highest level year round so that they can be representing their nation come the summer of the World Cup, and then also, in some cases, it is not enough.

However, in every team, there are players you expect to have a guaranteed place in the side. These are the players who can seize the game on their day and have proven themselves time and time again on the biggest stage.

So when such names are dropped from the squad, eyebrows are raised across the world. With the final 23 man squad announced for all 32 teams, here is a look at the 5 biggest snubs from the 2018 World Cup squads:

#5 Alexandre Lacazette (France)

Lacazette might not have had the most prolific of seasons for Arsenal, but there is no doubting the pedigree he possesses. 19 goals and 4 assists in all competitions this season is not a bad return by any means, however, in a France squad where the competition for the forward places was so high, it did not prove enough.

France manager Didier Deschamps preferred a Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann link because he felt it brings more creativity to the side but there is a case to be made for the inclusion of Lacazette.

One has to look no further than November 2017, when France took on Germany in an international friendly and it was Lacazette who grabbed a brace on that night as the two teams played out a 2-2 draw.

Lacazette has proven he can fit into the side seamlessly and can be a real threat in the box with the right supply, something which he does not often get at Arsenal which could possibly have hampered him. And it’s not as if Dembele or even Olivier Giroud, who was also picked ahead of Lacazette, have had brilliant seasons for their respective clubs.

What he could have also brought to the side was an experienced and cool head. At 27 years of age, it is safe to say he has a lot more big game experience than Mbappe and Dembele who are aged 19 and 21 respectively.

Playing in a pressure situation in a World Cup is something entirely different from anything players experience at the club level, and often it is experience and not talent that sees a side through. France will head to Russia as one of the contenders for the trophy but will hope that their young guns do not buckle under the pressure.

#4 Marcos Alonso (Spain)

Marcos Alonso playing for Spain against Argentina in an international friendly

Marcos Alonso has arguably been the best left-back in the Premier League over the last two seasons, and yet he has not made it to Spain’s world cup squad. He was even selected on PFA’s Premier League Team of the Year this year but ultimately Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal got the nod ahead of him.

Alonso has shown great versatility in his time at Chelsea, playing as a traditional left back as well as further up forward as a left midfielder and has done an admirable job in both positions and he is the type of player any squad would be lucky to have.

He is one of the few defenders in world football who are a legitimate goal threat and Spain would have benefitted greatly from his presence. They might be unbeaten ever since coach Julen Lopetegui took over, but there is a big difference between playing friendlies in the midst of the club season and playing at the World Cup. Their defence will come most certainly come under pressure at various points, and Alonso could have been vital in providing an outlet.

Spain’s squad contains a relatively untested quantity in Alvaro Odriozola along with a lesser defender in Nacho Monreal and Alonso definitely merited a place in the side above both, but such is life, and unfortunately for Alonso, he will be forced to watch the World Cup from home.

#3 Leroy Sane (Germany)

Sane in action for Germany

Leroy Sane was involved in 33 goals in all competitions this season, with 14 goals and 19 assists, which was more than any other German player in Europe’s top 5 leagues. He was an integral part of the Manchester City squad that won the Premier League this year in record-breaking fashion and won the PFA Young player of the year award; which makes his exclusion all that more shocking.

Sane was expected to edge out Julian Brandt for a place in the squad, however, Joachim Low sprung a surprise by picking Brandt while leaving Sane out. Low said that Sane was yet to arrive in international matches while Brandt had performed better for Germany, and the stats do back up Low’s statement.

Sane has provided 1 assist and no goals in 12 appearances for Germany, and struggled at last year’s Confederations Cup, but that was before his stellar season for Manchester City. Germany has a very strong squad nonetheless, but Sane did provide a different dimension to their play, with his insane speed, dribbling and decision making.

Julian Draxler was also preferred over Sane for his versatility but Sane could make a strong argument that he deserved to be going to Russia ahead of Draxler or Brandt.

Sane would walk into quite a few squads of other countries as their best player, but when you play for the defending world champions, sometimes your best is not enough, and for 22-year-old Sane, the wait to make his first World Cup appearance will continue.

#2 Mauro Icardi (Argentina)

Mauro Icardi has been left out of Argentina's World Cup squad

Consider this: Player A, Player B, and Player C play in the same league. Player A scored 29 goals and provided 1 assist this season and was the leading goal scorer in the league while Player B had 16 goals and 6 assists and Player C had 22 goals and 5 assists.

It would seem like a foregone conclusion that Player A makes it to his country’s squad, ahead of players B and C. However, players B and C were picked over him while A was left out altogether. Player A is Mauro Icardi, Player B is Gonzalo Higuain and Player C is Paulo Dybala.

The competition for Argentina’s forward places was always going to be intense, and a big name was bound to miss out, but leaving out Icardi makes little sense from a footballing viewpoint.

Argentina are taking Sergio Aguero, whose fitness is suspect, to Russia and Higuain, whom Icardi has thoroughly outperformed this season, but could not find a place for Icardi in the squad.

The reason for leaving out Icardi is not clear and the conspiracy theories continue to swirl surrounding his exclusion, all related to his situation with Maxi Lopez, who is close friends with the rest of the national squad, but holding the nation’s chances at the World Cup ransom because of an issue involving a player who is now nowhere near the team, is not right and Icardi should feel hard done by this decision.

Mauro Icardi is a difference maker. He is one of the best finishers right now in world football, and leaving him out for two strikers with major doubts over their heads could well backfire come the business end of the tournament. Jorge Sampaoli has gotten Argentina’s front line all wrong and he will desperately hope he does not regret the decision made on Icardi.

#1 Radja Nainggolan (Belgium)

Radja Nainggolan is the biggest snub for this year's World Cup

Probably the biggest snub and the most bewildering decision, Radja Nainggolan was the one player who absolutely deserved to go to the World Cup.

For a player who has created the most chances and won the most tackles for Roma in the Serie A and Champions League since the 2015-16 season, Belgium manager Roberto Martinez’s claims that Nainggolan was omitted for tactical reasons seem flimsy. Here is a player who can literally play anywhere in midfield and perform whatever role is needed from him, and yet the manager could not find a place for him in the side.

Nainggolan was vital to Roma’s famous Champions League run this season and his performances over the last few seasons have made him one of the hottest properties in world football, but Martinez never took a liking to him.

Nainggolan was given a total of 96 minutes playing time throughout Belgium’s qualification campaign which prompted widespread protests from Belgian fans as well but Martinez was unmoved. His decision seems all the more ridiculous when you consider the fact that Marouane Fellaini, Nacer Chadli and Adnan Januzaj have all been picked over Nainggolan.

Nainggolan can play in an advanced role while also possessing the physicality and defensive skill to play in a defensive midfield role. He can grab the odd goal while providing a fair amount of assists and has emerged as one of the most complete midfielders in world football currently, and yet will have to watch the World Cup from home.

Nainggolan’s off-pitch personality has always been at odds with what the management has wanted from him, but his professionalism has always been beyond reproach.

Martinez’s personal distrust of Nainggolan not only cost Belgium a key player in the middle of the park but also forced a player who proved himself repeatedly on Europe’s biggest stage into an early and untimely retirement. Nainggolan deserved better and was let down by his nation big time.

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Which other player do you think deserved to be selected for the World Cup but wasn't? Tell us in the comments below!