The MLS stars who will be at the 2018 World Cup

The United States' failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia dimmed plenty of the excitement stateside for this summer's tournament.

It also meant far fewer MLS players would be taking part in the summer showcase. The league elected to take a shorter break for 2018 than it did for the tournament four years ago. Yet, there are still plenty of MLS-based players fans can follow in Russia. Most are from the CONCACAF region, where nations like Costa Rica and Panama have seen big benefits from players going to MLS and facing tougher competition than in their domestic league.

There also are players who are set to represent teams in South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Scroll down to see who some of the familiar faces will be at this summer's tournament.