Premier League XI of players not going to the World Cup including Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah

By Tom Avery

The 2021-22 season hasn’t even finished but Manchester City have already made a huge statement of intent by reaching an agreement with Borussia Dortmund for Erling Haaland.

The 21-year-old phenomenon who was one of the most-coveted players across Europe looks set to join Pep Guardiola’s side for £51m.

After missing out on Harry Kane last summer, the Sky Blues have signed a world-class striker who hasn’t even hit his prime yet.

With one Dortmund game remaining this season, the former RB Salzburg striker has 85 goals from 88 games for the Bundesliga giants.

His international record for Norway is equally impressive with 15 goals from 17 caps, but Haaland’s goalscoring prowess wasn’t enough to fire his nation to this winter’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

With Erling Haaland set to move to England, TBR has put together a Premier League XI of players who didn’t qualify for the World Cup…

Martin Dubravka

The Newcastle United stopper only played in two of Slovakia’s ten World Cup qualifying matches and they finished behind Croatia and Russia.

The 33-year-old played all three of his nation’s group stage matches in last summer’s European Championships.

Since making his injury return for the Magpies, Dubravka has started the last 24 Premier League matches, but with the Toon Army likely to bolster their squad further in the summer transfer window, the former Sparta Prague man may not start next season as the club’s number one.

Eric Bailly

It says a lot about where Bailly stands at Manchester United currently that his only appearances in 2022 have come with Ivory Coast.

The Elephants didn’t make it through to Africa’s World Cup qualifying play-offs after being ousted by Cameroon in the group stage.

The former African Cup of Nations winner is yet to feature in a World Cup.

Victor Lindelof

The 27-year-old was part of the Sweden side that lost against England in the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

But after featuring in the last three major international tournaments, Sweden’s national captain will be absent in Qatar after Janne Andersson’s side fell short in the play-off final against Poland.

Like his Manchester United teammate Bailly, Lindelof will be facing an anxious wait to see where he features in Erik ten Hag’s plans.

Wilfred Ndidi

The holding midfielder has played centre-back for Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester side this season, so we thought he was too good to leave out of this team.

Ndidi missed Nigeria’s play-off defeat to Ghana due to a season-ending knee injury and he won’t be building on the three matches he played at the 2018 World Cup with the Super Eagles.

Jorginho

Following the ecstasy of the European Championship’s at England’s expense, the Azzurri came crashing back down to earth with a shattering shock defeat to North Macedonia.

It looked a formality that Roberto Mancini’s side would have to face Portugal for a place in the World Cup but the Italians fell short.

No man would have been more crestfallen than Jorginho who missed a decisive 90th-minute penalty against Switzerland which if he netted would have clinched qualification.

Instead Italy will be missing from the biggest tournament in the world for the second time in a row.

Martin Odegaard

Alongside Erling Haaland, the Arsenal playmaker is very much Norway’s main man and the pair will be hoping to reach a major international tournament during their careers.

But Norway finished behind Netherlands and Turkey in their qualifying group.

Riyad Mahrez

Manchester City’s top scorer this season has one World Cup appearances to his name with Algeria and that came eight years ago.

But the 2019 African Cup of Nations winners fell short in the final hurdle in the quest to qualify for Qatar. Mahrez’s nation were beaten by Cameroon in extra time of the play-off clash.

Luis Diaz

The former Porto man has been a revelation since arriving in England, but he couldn’t drag his nation to the World Cup.

Despite winning their last two qualifying games, Colombia finished a point behind Peru who secured the Inter-Confederation play-off place.

Dejan Kulusevski

Tottenham are expected to sign the flying Swede on a permanent deal this summer and it’s not a surprise given his impressive form since arriving in England.

But like Lindelof, Kulusevski was part of the Sweden side that was beaten by Robert Lewandowski’s Poland.

The tricky winger wasn’t part of the Sweden side that reached the quarter-finals in 2018, but at the age of 22 he’ll be hoping to get his chance to feature in a World Cup.

Mohamed Salah

Salah, who turns 30 next month, will hope to have the opportunity to build on the two World Cup goals he scored, which came from his two only appearances.

After being beaten by Sadio Mane’s Senegal side in the African Cup of Nations final just a month prior, in a game which Mane missed a penalty, it was Salah’s turn to miss a penalty when the two countries met in a two-legged World Cup play-off.

With the tie being decided on penalties and with lasers shining on Salah, the Liverpool forward missed his spot-kick and Mane slotted home the winning penalty.

Erling Haaland

The World Cup is the biggest spectacle in the world and every football fans wants the best teams and players to be a part of the showpiece.

Whether that be Italy, Salah or Erling Haaland, the tournament won’t be the same without the superstars.

But at the age of 22, Haaland has ample time to fire his beloved Norway to their first World Cup since 1998.