GOAL runs through the most high-profile players to be overlooked by their respective national teams for Qatar 2022.

The 32 nations competing in this year's World Cup have starting submitting their squad lists ahead of Monday's deadline, and there have already been some notable omissions.

Indeed, some World Cup winners will be watching at home, while a few talented youngsters have paid a heavy price for joining the wrong club at the wrong time.

Below, GOAL runs through the most high-profile players to have been overlooked for Qatar 2022…

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  Tammy Abraham

  Tammy Abraham lost his goalscoring touch at precisely the wrong time.

  The Roma striker enjoyed a stunning debut season at the Stadio Olimpico, scoring 27 times in all competitions as Jose Mourinho's side won the inaugural UEFA Conference League.

  However, it's been a different story this term, with Abraham going six weeks without a goal at one point.

  The former Chelsea striker ended his Serie A drought on the eve of Gareth Southgate's squad announcement but it was a case of too little, too late, particularly given Callum Wilson's fine form in the Premier League for Newcastle.

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  Thiago Alcantara

  The writing was on the wall for Thiago Alcantara. He'd not played for Spain since Euro 2021. So, Luis Enrique's decision to leave him out of his squad for Qatar is unsurprising. It's still shocking, though.

  Thiago has had his injury issues this season, as with every season, but he remains one of the finest midfielders in the game, as underlined by the massive difference he makes every single time he sets foot on the pitch for Liverpool. The Reds simply aren't the same side without him.

  Luis Enrique has never quite trusted Thiago, though, so the 31-year-old's omission was expected. However, it remains impossible to justify given Barcelona's Sergio Busquets has been included despite his obvious decline over the past year.

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  David de Gea

  David de Gea is not one of the best goalkeepers in the world with the ball at his feet. We all know that. But he's surely one of Spain's top three shot-stoppers?

  Not according to Luis Enrique, who has selected Unai Simon, David Raya and Robert Sanchez for Qatar. The Spain coach is entitled to argue that De Gea simply doesn't offer what he wants from his goalkeepers but the Manchester United man will undoubtedly be frustrated by his exclusion, given he's been back at something resembling his very best in recent weeks.

  Ultimately, though, he's probably paid the price for his propensity for dropping the occasional clanger, as he did at the last World Cup in Russia.

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  Ryan Gravenberch

  It's been a rough few months for Ryan Gravenberch.

  His summer switch from Ajax to Bayern Munich was meant to be the making of him; instead, his career has stalled.

  Indeed, he's yet to start a single Bundesliga game for the Bavarians, meaning he had no chance of making the Netherlands squad for Qatar.

  However, what must really sting for Gravenberch is that his replacement at Ajax, Kenneth Taylor, did make Louis van Gaal's panel.

Tags: Futebol
Category: News