We are only two weeks away from the 2010 World Cup and teams are currently releasing their final squads. It is inevitable that there will be many extremely disappointed players who feel like they should have made the cut. Sometimes it just comes down to a managerial decision, and players that could have easily made the squad are left behind. Other times there are world class players who play for countries that just fail to qualify. We take a look at a list of the Top 10 players who never had the opportunity to play at a World Cup final.
10. Bernd Schuster
Schuster was a footballer of real quality – winning domestic and European titles during his playing career in Germany and Spain. He was part of the West Germany side who won the 1980 European Championships but he retired from international football four years later at the age of 24 after a series of disagreements with the German FA. He surely would have elevated the quality of the German team at the 1982, 1986 and 1990 World Cup at the least.
9. Liam Brady
One of Arsenal’s all-time greats, ‘Chippy’ won the FA Cup, two league titles with Italian giants Juventus and made 72 appearances for his country – but none of them on the biggest stage as he retired from the international game a little bit early, during qualification for 1990 finals in Italy, which Ireland eventually qualified for.
8. Valentino Mazzola
The charismatic Italian was one of the greatest all-round footballers to have ever graced the game. Mazzola was comfortable in any position. He won four Italian titles with Torino but tragically lost his life in the Superga disaster in which all but one of the Torino team died after their plane crashed on the way home from a match with Lisbon.
7. Eric Cantona
One of the most talented footballers to ever grace the field. Cantona made his France debut in 1987 but a year later was indefinitely banned from all international matches after making a derogatory remark about the then manager Henri Michel. Not surprising for Cantona. He returned three years later but missed out on the 1994 finals after France lost at home to Bulgaria in their final qualifying match, when they only required a draw to qualify. Cantona was appointed captain a year later but the infamous Selhurst Park karate kick and subsequent nine-month ban cost him his place at France 98 as Aime Jacquet built his side around Zinedine Zidane.
6. Duncan Edwards
The Dudley-born midfielder was signed by Manchester United as a teenager in the early 1950s and was tipped to take England all the way at a World Cup during his career.
He made his international debut in 1955 but was one of eight players who died in the Munich air disaster aged just 21. England lose a potential legend.
5. Ian Rush
Rushie is famous for three things; that mustache, scoring goals and never appearing at a finals. The Welsh legend won the European Cup and five League titles with Liverpool but, like many of his countrymen, was deprived of appearing on the biggest stage.
4. George Weah
During his career Weah, who terrified defenders with his strength and finishing abilities, was named FIFA World Player of the Year, European Footballer of the Year, and African Footballer of the Year and won League titles with Paris Saint Germain and AC Milan. However, it wasn’t a similar story in his international career – Weah played, coached and even financed Liberia but never they have never reached a World Cup. He eventually ran for president of Liberia only to lose out.
3. Ryan Giggs
Eleven League titles, two Champions League crowns and four FA Cup medals make Giggs the most decorated player in the history of the English game. Last season, at the age of 35, he even managed to win Premier League player of the year. But as a Welshman not around in 1958…….
2. George Best
The Manchester United legend was named European Football of the Year and lifted the European Cup in 1968 but he was unable to lead Northern Ireland to the finals despite being capped 37 times and scoring nine goals between 1964-77. Best was briefly considered by manager Billy Bingham for the 1982 World Cup in Spain but the 36-year-old’s skills had been dulled by his off-field antics. (Include in this the fact that he ‘retired’ at age 27)
1. Alfredo Di Stefano
Described by Diego Maradona as the best player to have ever graced the game, Di Stefano played for Argentina, Colombia and Spain but was denied an appearance in the finals by a cruel mix of politics, injury and bad luck. He was denied the chance of playing in the 1950 tournament by Argentina refusing to enter and then ruled out of the 1954 finals by FIFA after representing Colombia. He acquired Spanish citizenship in 1956 but Spain failed to qualify for the 1958 World Cup finals. In 1961, Stefano who had already won five European Cups, helped Spain qualify for the 1962 finals but a muscular injury prevented him from playing. He retired from international football after that.
See the full Top 50 list at Daily Mail
