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The stage is all set and the gala is about to begin in Russia, with the biggest tournament in world football, the World Cup, to be played in Russia. Over the week, all sides have released their squad that will feature in the marquee event. With the final squad to be named before June 4, most managers opted to name a provisional squad, while some named their full 23-man squad that will catch the plane to Russia.
However, a host of big names are set to miss out on World Cup 2018, after being left out by their managers. The XI is of the one that is snubbed and so does not feature players like Alex Oxlade Chamberlin or Koscielny, who unfortunately missed due to injuries.
Here is the World Cup Snubbed XI:
GK: Joe Hart (England | Manchester City)
The Manchester City goalkeeper has endured a torrid time at the club level in his last two seasons, since the arrival of Pep Guardiola. An ever-present in the City squad as well as the English National team, Joe Hart failed to make Gareth Southgate's squad for the summer extravaganza. A lack of game time, on loan at West Ham, where he featured less than 20 times for the season meant Southgate going for Jack Butland, Nick Pope and Jordan Pickford make the cut for the 3 goalkeepers spots.
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It is a sad decline to a career, where he was at the top level for a better part of the decade. At 31 years of age, a comeback to the national team or another opportunity in the next world cup looks unlikely for Joe Hart.
RB: Sergi Roberto(Spain | FC Barcelona)
Spain's unbelievable squad depth means a few of the talented players obviously missing out on World Cup 2018. One of those players is Sergi Roberto who has made the Right-back spot his own at Barcelona for the last two seasons. Hailed as one of the most versatile players of the current generation, Roberto has not been able to cement a place in the Spanish National Team.
A star-studded midfield and an ever-reliable Dani Carvajal prove as hurdles for the young Barcelona man, who must consider himself unfortunate.
It is sad that a player of Sergi Roberto's calibre missing out on Russia 2018 but such is the quality of Spain that they can leave out players like Roberto, Fabregas, Gabi and yet put up a full-strength squad. A headache, Lopetegui will be glad to have.
CB: Javi Martinez(Spain | FC Bayern Munich)
A starter at one of the best clubs in Europe, Javi Martinez was not able to nail a place down in the Spanish team with the midfield jam-packed and the two centre-half berths cemented by Serio Ramos and Gerard Pique, with Cesar Azpilicueta ably deputising for any of the back four. In the squad for all 3 of Spain's major tournaments, Martinez was ruled out of the Euro 2016 due to injury. Injuries have dampened the Bavarian defender/midfielder in the past two seasons, a factor that will have played a part in him not being considered for Spain.
He had made 37 appearances for Bayern in all competitions, starting many. However, he will need more to do if he were to get into this Spain squad.
CB: Shkodran Mustafi(Germany | Arsenal)
Mustafi's sub-par season at Arsenal means the 2014 World Cup winner will not play any part in this year's world cup. Indifferent displays and crucial errors at the back means, he has made it easy for Low to make a decision. Mustafi made the move from Valencia to Arsenal for a fee close to 36 million pounds. Regarded as one of the finest center-backs at present, Germany will hope to manage without him at Russia. Boateng and Hummels will sit in front of the goalkeeper and will be assisted by the likes of Sule, Rudiger from the bench.
At just 26 though, Mustafi has at least 2 world cups left in him if he manages to replicate the form that earned him a mega-money move.
LB: Marcos Alonso(Spain | Chelsea)
Marcos Alonso is not the first player from Spain to make this World Cup Snub XI. And he is definitely not the last. Coming on the back of a stellar campaign, where he scored 7 times playing left wing-back for Chelsea.
He was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise underwhelming Chelsea performance that saw them fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Alonso was never going to be a starter at Spain, with Jordi Alba making the position his own. However, he would have expected to at least make the bench. Instead, he was overlooked for Real Sociedad fullback, Alvaro Odriozola and Arsenal left-back, Nacho Monreal.
CM: Jack Wilshere(England | Arsenal)
Jack Wilshere has long been the player, 'Who could have been'. Hailed for his remarkable technical ability, he was touted as the future of English midfield for so long. However, it is 2018, and he has not even made his way into the World Cup squad. While the talent is undeniable, injuries have always pulled down Wilshere from achieving the heights he was destined to. Wilshere finally seemed to put his injuries behind him, with 38 appearances for the club. However, a dip in form in the second half of the campaign prompted Southgate to pick Manchester's City Fabian Delph ahead of him.
He will now look to improve on his fitness and embark on a new Arsenal era come the next season, with a new contract set to be offered for the midfielder.
RM: Mario Gotze(Germany | Borussia Dortmund)
"I committed the mistake to talk about that sentence publicly afterwards," were the words of a disappointed Joachim Low, when talking about his famous quote in the World Cup 2014 Final.
The creative midfielder scored the only goal of the final to help Die Mannschaft lift the trophy, with Low telling Gotze to "show the world you can be better than Messi" when sending him on as a late substitute.
Things haven't been smooth since then for the young midfielder. After 2 disappointing seasons at Bayern, he returned to Dortmund. Though he showed flashes of brilliance, Gotze has not been the old self, that earned him a 37 million Euros switch to the Bavarians.
However, he was widely tipped to travel to Russia for a second consecutive time and was a shock omission for Germany.
CM: Radja Nainngolan(Belgium | AS Roma)
Undoubtedly, the most surprising omission of the World Cup 2018, a distraught Nainngolan announced his retirement after a second consecutive World Cup snub. Coming on the back off a fantastic campaign that saw him become an integral part of a Roma squad that defied all the odds to reach the semi-finals, it is indeed surprising to not see his name on the squad list.
While Roberto Martinez has defended his decision citing 'tactical reasons' for leaving Radja out of the squad, Nainngolan's attitude of the pitch might have been his undoing.
However, nothing can justify his exclusion considering his season for AS Roma and especially when the likes of Fellaini is picked ahead of him for Belgium.
Roberto Martinez has received a lot of backlash for his decision with many even claiming Belgium's chances as dark horses of the tournament have just taken a huge hit following Nainngolan's absence.
LM: Anthony Martial(France | Manchester United)
Anthony Martial's poor season went from bad to worse when he was left out of Deschamp's squad for France at World Cup 2018.
Dip in form and the arrival of Alexis Sanchez have all played a part in Martial going out of favour with Jose Mourinho. He is believed to have one foot out the door and would have hoped for a good world cup campaign to boost his chances of leaving to another top club. However, a lack of action at the club level meant Deschamps deciding to drop the young winger.
France's plethora of attacking options mean they can still field a strong team without Anthony Martial.
ST: Alvaro Morata(Spain | Chelsea)
The Chelsea hitman was expected to book a place in the Spain squad despite his very ordinary season at Chelsea. While Spain has a wealth of talent in defense and midfield, they are a little shy in the forward department which Morata would have expected to play to his advantage.
However, with the emergence, of his former team-mates Asensio and Vasquez, along with that of Celta Vigo's Iago Aspas meant a snub for the former Real Madrid striker.
His return of 15 goals and 6 assists in 48 appearances was not enough to convince Lopetegui to include him in the squad.
ST: Mauro Icardi(Argentina | Inter Milan)
Icardi had a stunning domestic campaign for Inter Milan, where he netted 29 times in 34 games, finishing as the Top goal scorer in the Seria A. However, he is still not in the frame of the Argentinian National team which boasts of one too many world-class forwards.
A team consisting the likes of Lionel Messi, Higuain, Aguero and Dybala, it was certain that at least one big name was going to be dropped and Icardi is unlucky to be that one.
Argentina's setup means it requires strikers who can assist in link-up play, which Icardi is not familiar with, as he primarily plays as a target man at Inter.
It is disheartening to see him miss out after his performances. But luckily, time is on his side and he will hope to spearhead the Argentina attack in the future.
