Not partaking for various reasons; it's a significant list. Particularly unfortunate in the case of injuries in the warm up games....perhaps a rethink is needed on the number of fixtures played. Any others out there?

Bale
Ibrahimovic
Lewandowski
Alaba
Nasri
Tevez
Ribery
Reus
Isco
Navas
Benteke
Thiago Alcantara
Cech
Montolivo
Falcao
Van der Vaart
Bender
Badstuber
Strootman
Rossi


Ronaldo?
Suarez?
Costa?
Pepe?
Oxlade Chamberlain?

Most of those didn't qualify. If they did you would have another list of players who played for those teams who didn't make it.
A never ending list. Not every team can make it.

Alot of those just didn't get picked as well, even though their teams made it.

does it need pointing out that the top 3 players are out of the world cup for reasons other than injuires? Mainly, their teams not qualifying for it?

Ive not even checked the rest of the list because of that

I think most football fans won't need it pointing out....it just looks significant when listed out. Particularly when we will be graced by the presence of Shola Ameobi over the next couple of weeks at least.

those players arent "out of the world cup" though are they, they didnt qualify to be in it. Some of the others such as ribery etc.... are out

If there country didn't qualify for the World Cup they don't go, that is all.

I think Walcott would have made the squad had he been fit.

Russia captain Shirokov got injured recently too IIRC.

OP your list is a bizarre one. Most of the players on your list play for countries which didn't qualify, or are not deemed good enough their national squad.

Perhaps I should have worded the title differently. In any case the breakdown for those interested:

12 injured and definitely out (including Walcott and Shirokov)
5 didn't qualify
5 not picked (1 of whom is seen as too much of an injury risk!)
5? Due to injury

We already have a competition where nearly all the worlds best players play in and that is the Champions League. The World Cup rarely matches top champions league games for quality (apart from when the top teams such as Germany and Spain play each other), but the World Cup is special in other ways.

No point including Bale. We all know that he will never ever play in the world cup

I'll dare say he'll get one at the age 32 or 36. For some reason, I think Wales will produce some decent players, that'll make them a capable team. But realistically, it's likely not going to happen.

The future is unwritten. Did anyone ever think Greece would be European Champions? If they can do that then Wales can qualify for a World Cup.

I'm hoping the new structure of the Euros at least gives us finalists like Wales, Scotland, etc. I think this will be the 8th major tournament in a row that Scotland haven't been at and Wales go back a lot lot longer than that!

Indeed. Who would have thought after John Collins' equaliser against then world champions Brazil, that the international tournaments wouldn't be graced again by Bonnie Scotland.

Perhaps I should add Kris Boyd to the list above.

Ronaldo has limped out of a Portugal training session with an ice pack on his knee and is now a serious doubt for the WC.