World Cup: Ranking the top 20 African players set to miss out

Haidara may be a Premier League player by the time the World Cup rolls around—both Manchester United and Leicester City have been linked with the RB Leipzig man—although he won’t be present in Qatar following Mali’s failure to down Tunisia.

The first of several Nigeria players on this list, the forward was part of the Super Eagles squad that reached the last World Cup, but has taken his game to new heights in the interim.

It would have been terrific to have seen his blossoming partnership with Victor Osimhen take the world by storm in Qatar.

Another Leicester City star, Daka’s Zambia weren’t able to trouble Tunisia in Group B, instead finishing third in their pool behind even Equatorial Guinea.

Can the young striker help Chipolopolo out of the doldrums in the coming years?

Part of the Democratic Republic of Congo side that finished third at the Nations Cup, World Cup qualification would have more than made up for failure to reach the Afcon earlier this year.

Instead, Mbemba and his teammates must watch on after they were thumped by Morocco in their playoff.

Recently returning to Europe with Olympique de Marseille after an extensive spell in Chinese football, Bakambu was chosen by Hector Cuper to lead the line for the DRC during their qualifiers against Morocco.

He drew a blank across both legs, and the performance of Ben Malango after coming off the bench suggests that Bakambu has a battle on his hands to retain his starting spot.

One of Africa’s most promising centre-backs, Tapsoba won over many admirers with his cultured and commanding displays at the Nations Cup.

Linked with a move to Arsenal, the Bayer Leverkusen man won’t be present after Burkina Faso were pipped by Algeria in their Second Round group.

Another Mali star set to miss out on the tournament, Doucoure only committed his international future to the Eagles ahead of the playoffs, having previously been holding out to represent France.

He featured for Les Bleus at U-21 level, but now 29, clearly felt it was time to sign up for the Eagles.

Still playing at a high level in the Prem, he can still challenge at a Nations Cup or two.

Exquisitely talented forward who’s played a key role in West Ham United’s excellent season under David Moyes.

Benrahma is one of several North African maestros who had the potential to light up Qatar, but will now miss out on the tournament.

Guinea bombed during their group stage campaign, failing to win any of their six matches and finishing behind Morocco and Guinea-Bissau in Group I.

It means that Liverpool’s Keita will be absent from the World Cup, with the Syli Nationale still awaiting their first ever qualification.

25-year-old Mali midfielder whose partnership in the heart of the park with Abdoulaye Doucoure at international level certainly looks promising.

Bissouma has impressed the eye with his dynamic displays for Brighton & Hove Albion this season, and has been linked with a move to some of the Prem’s biggest clubs this summer.

Struggling at club level with Arsenal, but Pepe remains a key figure for the Ivory Coast, and reaffirmed his quality with some fine displays at the Nations Cup earlier this year.

He scored a magnificent solo goal in the Elephants’ recent friendly defeat by France—a timely reminder of just what he can offer.

Still only 24, Bennacer will surely get another chance to reach a World Cup, although like a few others on this list, the ex-France youth international may well be wondering if he’d be destined for Qatar if he’d opted to represent the land of his birth.

A player revived in the Eredivisie since signing for Ajax, Haller has set Champions League goalscoring records with the Dutch giants, and is enjoying a magnificent campaign domestically.

To date, he has 20 goals and seven assists in 24 league outings for the Amsterdam heavyweights.

Zaha’s decision to ditch England for the Ivory Coast came after he was snubbed by the Three Lions, but one wonders whether it was a wise decision.

The wideman may have featured in two Nations Cups, but he’d have been in with a shout to make the World Cup with England had he remained with the Three Lions.

Revived at Barcelona, Auba currently has seven in seven in La Liga, having firmly put his Arsenal misery behind him.

Now 32, this might have been his last opportunity to ever feature at a World Cup. Where does he rank among the all-time African greats to have missed out on the global showpiece?

The top African star not to even make the playoffs, Kessie was part of the Ivory Coast side who fell in the group stage after being pipped to the Third Round by Cameroon.

The midfield powerhouse—also the subject of transfer rumours linking him with a move to the Premier League—impressed at the Nations Cup, but will have to wait for his first ever World Cup appearance.

Arguably the best African midfielder in the world today, Ndidi was sorely missed for Nigeria’s double-header against the Black Stars after picking up an injury while on continental duty with Leicester City.

Without him, it was little surprise that Thomas Partey excelled against the Eagles.

Finally finding his feet—and firing—at Napoli, but Osimhen will be the most high-profile African striker from Qatar after Nigeria’s failure against Ghana.

It’s a bitter blow for the forward, who missed the Africa Cup of Nations, although he thought he’d sent the Super Eagles through in Abuja, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

Magnificent with Manchester City so far this season—16 goals across the Premier League and Champions League—but Mahrez missed a few decent opportunities as Algeria were dispatched by Cameroon.

Africa’s greatest player in the world today, Salah has reached the World Cup once before—inspiring Egypt to Russia in 2018—but wasn’t able to repeat the trick this time around.

At club level, he’s enjoying a magnificent campaign, and recently became Africa’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League, but that hasn’t helped him drag an average Pharaohs squad to the grandest stage of all.