Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)

One of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday’s play-off final.

Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions, twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca, may have played in his last major international tournament.

Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.

He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.

Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)

Another star that will be missing in action at the mundial is Gialuigui Donnarumma of Italy.

Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament

Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.

Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.

Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)

Serhou Guirassy is Fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season

Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.

But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and PSG)

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.

But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.

Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray and Nigeria)

Victor Osimhen has scored 26 goals for club and country this season

Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.

Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.

With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.

Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary)

Dominik Szoboszlai has scored 12 goals for Liverpool this season

Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.

But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.

The Democratic Republic of Congo qualified for their first World Cup in 52 years after Axel Tuanzebe’s extra-time goal gave them a 1-0 win over Jamaica in their intercontinental play-off final at the Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico.

In the build-up, Tuanzebe had said that the game was the biggest of his career and the former England youth international, who was born in Bunia, a city affected by the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo, has now written his name into Congolese football history.

While Leopards striker Cedric Bakambu twice had goals correctly ruled out for offside during normal time, it was no surprise that a tight encounter needed the extra 30 minutes to settle things.

And it was Tuanzebe who was in the right place at the right time, using his torso to almost run the ball into the goal after Brian Cipenga’s in-swinging corner took a nick off the top of Jamaica defender Joel Latibeaudiere and cannoned into the onrushing Burnley man in the 100th minute.

Celebrations were paused temporarily while the officials checked for a potential handball, but the video assistant referee (VAR) eventually decided the ball had not brushed Tuanzebe’s arm.

Jamaica were hoping to reach their second World Cup, having played at France 1998, but failed to carve out any real opportunities for an equaliser.

Instead, it is DR Congo who take their place in Group K at the expanded 48-team tournament, facing Portugal in their opening match in Houston on 17 June before ties against Colombia and Uzbekistan.

This was the first meeting between the sides, having been drawn together in pathway one of Fifa’s intercontinental play-offs, with both coming into the match off the back of morale-boosting wins.

A single goal from Wrexham striker Bailey Cadamarteri was enough to help Jamaica past New Caledonia in Friday’s play-off semi-final, while DR Congo warmed up with a 2-0 win in their friendly against Bermuda.

The Central Africans had advanced straight into the play-off final courtesy of their world ranking, sitting 49th with Jamaica 68th.

But the Leopards had certainly worked hard to make it this far, this was their 13th qualifier in a campaign which began back in November 2023.

Sebastien Desabre’s team finished second behind Senegal in their group before overcoming Cameroon and Nigeria in African play-offs to set up this encounter in the heart of Mexico.

Congo had the better of the early chances, with Bakambu’s first offside effort coming in the fifth minute, poking home from inside the six-yard box from Meschack Elia’s low ball.

Elia then saw his near-post effort from a tight angle thwarted by a mix of goalkeeper Andre Blake and the post.

But the Reggae Boyz grew into the contest as the half wore on, with interim coach Rudolph Speid, who replaced former England boss Steve McLaren after he quit in November, watching on tensely.

First, Kasey Palmer’s goal-bound effort from the edge of the area was blocked by Chancel Mbema on the half hour.

And shortly before the break, Leon Bailey’s left-foot fizzer from distance flashed across goal.

Blake saved well from Bakambu’s long-range curl early in the second half before Bailey’s diving header at the far post flew just wide.

Bakambu had the ball in the net again with five minutes to go, but substitute Theo Bongonda had strayed beyond the last man before laying on the assist.

The Congolese largely controlled extra time and should have finished off the game late on once they had taken the lead, with Watford midfielder Edo Kayembe blazing over with the goal gaping after a counter attack.

But Tuanzebe’s strike, his first for his country, was ultimately enough to see them over the line.

Congo fans have been waiting a long time to right the wrongs of their solitary World Cup campaign in 1974.