With few days to the FIFA world Cup in Russia, here: https://steemit.com/sports/@bestgift/facts-about-the-fifa-world-cup are some interesting facts we may want to know about the Prestigious Event.
Yes! the World Cup is just around the corner. Russia is ready and waiting for the superstars of football to come and work their magic. Every player and every manager in the world is hoping to take back the prestigious to their home country. However teams like USA, Chile, Netherlands and Italy have no hope of bringing back home the trophy as they failed to qualify for the Year's major Sport competition, the biggest international tournament for that matter. With that in mind, it is obvious to anticipate that some top quality players will miss out. Amongst this players are:
Arturo Vidal (Chile):
The key midfielder, who starred in the last two World Cups, was suspended for Chile's final qualifier against Brazil and watched on powerless from Munich as his team were eliminated. A loss to Brazil, combined with poor results in other matches, saw Chile fail to qualify for the latest edition of the World Cup in Russia.
His team mate Alexis Sanchez, the Manchester United forward will also be missed at the World Cup. His pace, work ethic, skill on the ball and shooting ability is one everyone would have loved to see.
Leonardo Bonucci (Italy):
Leonardo Bonucci one of the best defenders in the world is another top player that will not feature in this year's World Cup in Russia as his team lost 0-1 on aggregate to Sweden in the qualification play-off. The AC Milan defender played 90 minutes against Sweden in the play-off with a broken nose, showing his level of commitment for his country.
Speaking of Commitment, no one is more committed than the Italian Captain Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), a true veteran of the game, one who has won the title before, leaving a mark as one of the best goalkeepers in the history of the game. The 40 year old who failed to reach the Champions League Finals was left in tears after his team Italy lost the game that would have qualified them for the World Cup. He soon afterwards announced his retirement from international football. Despite this fact, Italy have a ready-made replacement: Gianluigi Donnarumma who happens to be his nick-name. Regardless, there will never ever be another Buffon for the world to witness.
Arjen Robben (Netherlands):
This Bayern Munich forward need no introduction, not after his highlights during his last appearance at the World Cup. where he disgraced Spain in a stunning 5-1 Win. So when Netherlands failed to qualify for the second consecutive major tournament, all eyes turned to Arjen Robben who recently announced his retirement from international football at age 34. Without a doubt he will be missed for his pace, cutting back on the left foot, excellent one-two touches and curls on the ball. With no big name player coming through, and with Robben departing, many have come to believe this may well be the start of the downfall of Dutch football.
Still from Netherlands is Virgil van Dijk (Holland/Southampton). The world's Most expensive defender will equally be missed at the forth coming FIFA World Cup.
Going into the final game of Group A, the Netherlands needed to beat Sweden by seven goals to guarantee a spot in the play-offs. Despite Arjen Robben’s best efforts, the Dutch only managed a 2-0 win leaving the Oranje missing their second consecutive major tournament. A 4-0 defeat to France in August was the beginning of the end for the Netherlands, with Sweden’s 8-0 over Luxembourg in the penultimate group fixture all-but putting the nail in the coffin
David Alaba (Austria/Bayern Munich)
In a tough group where any two from Serbia, Wales, Republic of Ireland and Austria could have easily staked a claim for qualification, Marcel Koller’s men were unfortunate to find themselves as one of the two teams missing out. With one defeat against each of the aforementioned teams, three of Austria’s four wins came against the two teams to finish below them. Despite beating eventual group winners Serbia in the penultimate round of fixtures, results elsewhere left Austria with a dead rubber against Moldova in the final game.
A winner of six Bundesliga titles and the Champions League, Alaba's international career has been less illustrious with Austria's abysmal Euro 2016 campaign been his only experience of a major tournament.
Austria’s best player, Alaba is often left with too much to do for his national team. As a result, they didn’t get near qualification, coming fourth in their qualifying group.
Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid)
Wales went into the final game of Group D knowing that anything but a defeat would have guaranteed them at least a World Cup play off place. However, a 1-0 defeat at home to Republic of Ireland saw Martin O’Neill’s men overtake the Welsh leaving Bale and co. unable to replicate their heroics of Euro 2016 and watching the World Cup from afar.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/Arsenal)
Gabon have never qualified for the World Cup and the African country's shortage of top-class players means talented forward Aubameyang may never have the opportunity to play at one.
France are hoping to claim their second world title when they compete in Russia this summer but one man who is almost certain not to be part of that journey is Karim Benzema, who has not featured for his country since October 2015. The Real Madrid star does not hold much hope for the prospect of a recall ahead of the World Cup though, explaining his view that he will not be picked as long as Didier Deschamps is head coach.
Laurent Koscielny went down in excruciating pain during Arsenal's Europa League semi-final second-leg defeat to Atletico Madrid after appearing to lose his footing and the club later confirmed that the defender had suffered a torn Achilles tendon. Unfortunately for Koscielny that means his chances of going to Russia as part of the France contingent this summer are now gone and he faces a number of months in recovery.
Dimitri Payet had a memorable Euro 2016 but he's going to be watching from the sidelines for Russia 2018 after picking up a hamstring injury in the Europa League final against Atletico Madrid. The former West Ham United attacker limped off in tears in the first half to end his chances of a call-up from Deschamps, having forced his way into contention with his star performances for Marseille.
Dani Carvajal will endure more heartbreak after an injury in a Champions League final ruled him out of a second successive major international tournament. The Real Madrid full-back missed Euro 2016 after being injured in the final against Atletico Madrid and he suffered a hamstring injury against Liverpool in Kiev to force him out of the World Cup.
England will definitely have to make do without the services of Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who suffered a knee ligament injury in the Reds' Champions League semi-final first leg victory over Roma. The former Arsenal star sustained the injury while making a tackle and it comes as a major blow to both the player and Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.
He will be joined on the sidelines by club-mate Joe Gomez, who had forced himself into contention, and even earned a Man of the Match award during the Three Lions' draw with Brazil having kept Neymar quiet. Ankle surgery, however, has ended his hopes of heading to Russia.
Both Jack Wilshere and Joe Hart have also been excluded from the squad, with Southgate preferring to take Nick Pope instead of the experienced West Ham shot-stopper who has been having a terribly lukewarm season in East London.
Brazil are one of the favourites to win the tournament, but they will have to make do without marauding full-back Dani Alves, who picked up a knee injury during the Coupe de France final and will instead spend the summer recovering ahead of Paris Saint-Germain's 2018-19 campaign.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich striker Sandro Wagner felt aggrieved to have missed out on a spot and World Cup winner Mario Gotze also failed to make the cut.
There had been vague suggestions - encouraged by the man himself - that Zlatan Ibrahimovic could potentially make a return to the Sweden set-up for the World Cup, but the Swedish FA chief, Lars Richt, has ruled out any such possibility.
Mohamed Salah is a concern for Egypt’s World Cup squad after suffering a shoulder injury in Liverpool’s Champions League final against Real Madrid. The forward left the pitch in tears in the first half in Kiev after being hauled to the ground by Sergio Ramos.
