Top Football Stars Missing the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup goes ahead without several of football’s brightest talents after shock qualification exits and season-ending injuries. Key absentees include Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, whose nations fell short. France’s Hugo Ekitike and the Netherlands’ Xavi Simons are sidelined by major injuries. Also missing are Hungary’s Dominik Szoboszlai, Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko and Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo. Their absence paves the way for new stars to emerge across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Fans will be watching to see which under-the-radar talents seize this opportunity on football’s grandest stage.

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