{"id":377230,"date":"2026-04-01T22:55:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T22:55:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/377230\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T22:55:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T22:55:09","slug":"most-valuable-world-cup-absentee-xi-dominated-by-italy-after-play-off-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/377230\/","title":{"rendered":"Most valuable World Cup absentee XI dominated by Italy after play-off disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"

All 48 participants in the 2026 World Cup<\/a> have been decided after the conclusion of the play-offs.<\/p>\n

The biggest shock was undoubtedly Italy\u2019s defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but there were some incredible stories in a thrilling international break.<\/p>\n

With Italy, Nigeria and Hungary among the notable absentees in North America this summer, plenty of brilliant players will not be there.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, this XI consisting of the most valuable players not going to the World Cup is dominated by Italy stars. There are seven of them, to be exact. Some of them make our Italy World Cup virgins XI<\/a> too.<\/p>\n

While you\u2019re here, try and name all 48 teams who HAVE reached the World Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy) \u2013 \u20ac45m<\/p>\n

Donnarumma made his Italy debut when he was 16 years old, quickly established himself as a generational goalkeeper, yet he will not have a World Cup appearance to his name by the time he is 31.<\/p>\n

The fact Italy are such a colossal football nation outweighs Donnarumma\u2019s lack of World Cup appearances, but it is still astonishing.<\/p>\n

RB: Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary) \u2013 \u20ac100m<\/p>\n

Not a right-back, we know. But Arne Slot\u2019s silly tactical tweak has given us the leverage to make this team more luxurious. The next best option was \u20ac35m, zero-cap Italian Michael Kayode. We can all surely agree that Szoboszlai was the correct choice.<\/p>\n

Hungary are a decent side, as shown by their Nations League performances in recent years, yet they failed to qualify despite having Liverpool star Szoboszlai at the peak of his powers.<\/p>\n

CB: Alessandro Bastoni (Italy) \u2013 \u20ac70m<\/p>\n

We\u2019d be surprised if Bastoni shows his face when Inter face Roma in Serie A on Sunday.<\/p>\n

It was his red card that turned the tide against Bosnia in Italy\u2019s play-off final. It was a mistimed challenge, which happens, but as the last man, with so much on the line, he really should have stayed on his feet. Hindsight really is a wonderful thing.<\/p>\n

From his dive against Juventus to this latest error, it\u2019s been a difficult start to 2026 for Bastoni.<\/p>\n

CB: Riccardo Calafiori (Italy) \u2013 \u20ac50m<\/p>\n

In a very Italian XI, Calafiori partners Bastoni at the back, which means a dreaded left-footed centre-back partnership.<\/p>\n

The Arsenal star plays left-back for his club but is naturally a central defender and has played there throughout his international career, impressing suitors with his performances at Euro 2024.<\/p>\n

LB: Federico Dimarco (Italy) \u2013 \u20ac50m<\/p>\n

Italy\u2019s starting left-back completes a star-studded \u20ac270million defence.<\/p>\n

With 15 assists and seven goals from 38 appearances for Inter this season, Dimarco has been a superb player for club and country, but he was unable to help Italy avoid a third World Cup failure on the bounce.<\/p>\n

CM: Carlos Baleba (Cameroon) \u2013 \u20ac55m<\/p>\n

Cameroon\u2019s only consecutive World Cups this century came in 2010 and 2014, where they lost six out of six group-stage matches. After a much better showing in 2022, beating Brazil and drawing 3-3 with Serbia, the African nation will not be at this year\u2019s edition of the greatest tournament in sport.<\/p>\n

Baleba is expected to make a big-money move in the summer transfer window, which will be made easier for Brighton and his suitors by Cameroon\u2019s failure to qualify for the World Cup in North America.<\/p>\n

CM: Nicolo Barella (Italy) \u2013 \u20ac50m<\/p>\n

After a small break, we are back to the amazing Italians who could not break the nation\u2019s World Cup hoodoo. The fact Italy\u2019s most recent World Cup knockout match is the 2006 final remains one of the most astounding stats in sport.<\/p>\n

Barella, like Donnarumma, has zero World Cup appearances to his name and will be in his thirties when his debut comes \u2013 if it comes.<\/p>\n

Time is ticking for so many Italy players. The 2030 tournament will come around when Barella is 34.<\/p>\n

CM: Sandro Tonali (Italy) \u2013 \u20ac80m<\/p>\n

Italy missing out on the World Cup could actually work out pretty well for Newcastle, who can avoid a drawn-out transfer saga involving Tonali this summer. They can get him sold early and actually prepare for the upcoming season, unlike with Alexander Isak in 2025.<\/p>\n

Tonali was Italy\u2019s only scorer in their penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, converting his spot-kick expertly after watching Pio Esposito sky his and before watching Bryan Cristante rocket the ball against the crossbar.<\/p>\n

He did himself justice, but that won\u2019t mean much after another failed World Cup qualifying campaign for his country.<\/p>\n

RW: Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon) \u2013 \u20ac80m<\/p>\n

Only Italy and Cameroon have multiple representatives in this World Cup absentee XI, and we are delighted to say there are no more Italians after Tonali.<\/p>\n

Manchester United winger Mbeumo scored four goals in qualifying as Cameroon finished second in their group behind World Cup debutants Cape Verde, who the Indomitable Lions smashed 4-1 at home in June 2024.<\/p>\n

Losing to DR Congo at the first African play-off hurdle was a bitter disappointment for Cameroon and Mbeumo.<\/p>\n

ST: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria) \u2013 \u20ac75m<\/p>\n

Robert Lewandowski is maybe the most well-known striker not going to the World Cup after Poland\u2019s dramatic play-off final defeat in Sweden, but the most valuable is Nigerian superstar Osimhen.<\/p>\n

Nigeria smashed the best second-place team in CAF qualifying, Gabon, before losing on penalties against Cameroon\u2019s semi-final opponents, DR Congo, who went on to qualify with an extra-time victory over Jamaica in the inter-confederation play-offs.<\/p>\n

Osimhen could find himself in a similarly advantageous position to Baleba and Tonali when the transfer window opens. He clearly enjoys playing in Turkey with Galatasaray, but he also clearly wants to be playing for one of Europe\u2019s big boys.<\/p>\n

LW: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia) \u2013 \u20ac90m<\/p>\n

In a qualifying group with Spain and Turkey, it was always a big ask for Georgia to make this summer\u2019s World Cup. In truth, they didn\u2019t come remotely close, finishing with three points from six games, 10 behind second-placed Turkey and 13 behind European champions Spain.<\/p>\n

Regardless of Georgia\u2019s underdog status, \u2018Kvaradona\u2019 is a big miss and arguably the best player not going to the 2026 World Cup finals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"All 48 participants in the 2026 World Cup have been decided after the conclusion of the play-offs. The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":377231,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[61,60,4212,3106,141756,137615,112],"class_list":{"0":"post-377230","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-ie","9":"tag-ireland","10":"tag-latest","11":"tag-popular","12":"tag-quick-reads","13":"tag-sandro-tonali","14":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=377230"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377230\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/377231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=377230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=377230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=377230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}