From Thiago, Firmino to Ramos: List of Players Snubbed from 2022 World Cup Squads

This season’s World Cup in Qatar has given us plenty of new heroes. However, it has also been a “What if?” case for several talented players who will not get the chance to prove their quality at football’s premier international competition. Below is a list of players snubbed from their World Cup squads:

Tammy Abraham – England

The Roma striker was one of the most prolific goalscorers in Europe last season, scoring 27 times for Roma and winning the UEFA Conference League. However, he was inexplicably left out of England’s squad for the 2022 World Cup.

Manager Gareth Southgate opted instead to select Callum Wilson and Jamie Vardy. There is little doubt that the former will be an asset to the team, but Abraham’s exclusion is puzzling, given his form and experience with his club.

Thiago Alcantara – Spain

Thiago Alcantara is one of the most talented footballers in the world. He was once a regular for both Barcelona and Bayern Munich. However, his injury record has been poor for some time now.

His failure to play for Spain since Euro 2021 is baffling, especially given the lack of quality options in midfield for Luis Enrique.

After dropping Thiago, Enrique chose his replacement in Sergio Busquets, alongside youngsters Gavi and Pedri. Busquets may have been 34 years old by 2022, but he is still an excellent player and would have provided a great experience to help ease the younger players into the World Cup.

Roberto Firmino – Brazil

In a shocking move, Roberto Firmino has been left off Brazil’s World Cup roster. The forward, who plays for Liverpool in the Premier League, has been criticized by fans and pundits for being clinical in front of goals.

“I’m not surprised,” said Brazilian football analyst Eduardo Freitas. “Firmino doesn’t offer much more than his ability to finish chances, and that’s not enough for this team right now.”

Brazil’s manager, Tite, defended his decision to leave Firmino out of the squad. “We need someone who can make things happen,” Tite said. “Firmino is too passive on the pitch; he waits for other players to create opportunities for him.”

David de Gea – Spain

Undoubtedly, David de Gea is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. The Manchester United keeper has won numerous trophies with his club and played a crucial role in helping Spain win several international trophies. But despite his impressive CV, he has been dropped by manager Luis Enrique for the upcoming World Cup.

The decision to drop De Gea was met with much criticism. Many felt that the Spaniard should have been included in the squad. Given how well he had performed over recent months. However, Luis Enrique insists that this decision was made because he wanted to give other players a chance to shine internationally.

Jadon Sancho – England

The England squad is one of the most talked-about rosters in the World Cup. It’s a squad that has been scrutinised, and the players who missed out on it are not happy.

One of those players is Jadon Sancho. The winger had a poor season with Manchester United, but he showed signs of revitalization towards the end of the season.

He was dropped from his starting position under Ten Hag, but he got back into the team under Solskjaer and made an impact. Despite this, he failed to move up the pecking order ahead of Saka and Foden and Grealish.