Football superstars that will miss the FIFA World Cup 2022

The FIFA World Cup is now in full force, having started on November 18, 2022. The world’s greatest football teams are now competing for the chance to win the grand World Cup trophy and title. In case you missed it, not all the expected players set to play in the tournament will be making an appearance. This includes fan favourites in football. Below listed are some football superstars to miss the World Cup 2022:

Erling Haaland

A football superstar in the English Premier League (EPL), Erling Haaland will not be making it to the Cup this year. Having blown up into fame in England, tons of fans expected to see him in this year’s grand tournament.

Haaland is a favourite due to the joy he brings to the field. Due to popular demand, many have started an online petition to allow each team to bring him on once during the tournament for 30 minutes. While that is unlikely to happen, some are excited to see the football superstar make a comeback once the World Cup ends.

His six goals in the qualifiers were not enough for the team to participate in the tournament. Due to Norway not qualifying this year, the Manchester City forward will sit out of the Doha 2022 Soccer World Cup.

Martin Odegaard

Another Norwegian football superstar that will not be competing in the World Cup is Martin Odegaard. A former Real Madrid midfielder, he became one of the best players of his generation at Arsenal.

He plays a significant role in the team’s success in the 2022–23 Premier League season. His several goals and assists throughout just a few games do not adequately convey how much he contributes to the team. Despite not participating in the World Cup 2022, fans are still excited to see what the future holds for both Haaland and Odegaard.

Mohamed Salah

Egypt and Liverpool fans were devastated knowing that Mohamed Salah will not be partaking in the FIFA World Cup due to his team not qualifying for the tournament. To add more salt to the wound, Salah’s team was not able to qualify due to the superstar player himself.

He missed his shot during the penalty shootout that decided the match. His former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane, on the other hand, scored to send Senegal to Qatar, which made the defeat even more upsetting for Salah’s supporters. It wasn’t without controversy, however, as the Egyptian superstar appeared to have been the target of numerous crowd lasers as he prepared to take his spot kick.

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Last but not least, Gianluigi Donnarumma, the famed 23-year-old Italian goalkeeper, will not be participating in this year’s World Cup. His efforts during Euro 2020 are one of his most recognised achievements. He was able to save a penalty, which helped Italy win the title.

Unfortunately, despite having many big names on their roster, Italy was unable to qualify for the World Cup. They placed second, right behind the Swiss team, after being defeated during the playoff semifinals.

Donnarumma might not be attending Doha 2022 Soccer World Cup, but many look forward to his appearance in future iterations of the tournament