As in every edition of the World Cup, there will be major absentees due to injury. Among the outgoing world champions, Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kanté, the starting midfielder of 2018, will be absent due to injury. Two other world champions who were valuable four years ago will not be present: Corentin Tolisso and Nabil Fékir.
For England, the starting right-back Reece James will not be present because of a knee injury suffered a month ago in the Champions League with Chelsea, his counterpart on the left Ben Chilwell also had to withdraw. Still for the English, Jadon Sancho and Fikayo Tomori were not selected by Gareth Southgate. Marco Reus recently injured his ankle and will miss his fourth international tournament out of the last five with Germany. Diogo Jota is out for Portugal after a right calf injury, as is Giovani Lo Celso for the Albiceleste. Note that Roberto Firmino is absent from the list for Brazil.
Players present but uncertain
There are also players who will go to Qatar but who are not sure to play. On the Belgian side, there is still a big uncertainty around Romelu Lukaku even if he is on Roberto Martinez' list. Sadio Mané, who was at risk because of a knee injury received a few days ago, should finally be present in the list of Senegal. Ronald Araujo, who had surgery for a muscle injury a month and a half ago, could be ready in time to play for Uruguay.
Their country is not present in Qatar
Other players will not be in Qatar, not because of injury but because their country did not qualify for the competition. Europe's top scorer at the beginning of the season Erling Haaland will not be at the event with Norway. The Austrian David Alaba will not participate in the World Cup either, as well as the Slovenian Jan Oblak, the Georgian sensation of the beginning of the season Kvicha Kvaratskhelia or the Italians Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Verratti or Federico Chiesa.
On the African continent, Riyad Mahrez and Algeria will not be at the meeting after their elimination in the playoffs against Cameroon, as well as Egypt of
