| Updated: In just less than five weeks, the 2026 World Cup will kick off in North America, with the spotlight set to fall on the biggest names in football as the sport’s grandest stage returns. But some of the game’s most valuable players will not be there. Some saw the dream disappear when their country failed to qualify. Others suffered the crueller blow, with injury striking after their nation had already booked its place.
That is what led Sportingpedia to rank the most valuable footballers set to miss the 2026 World Cup, revealing that 21 players valued at €45 million or more are currently set to miss the tournament. Dominik Szoboszlai sits alone at the top on €100 million, while Italy stands out more than any other country with seven players on the list worth a combined €390 million.
Dominik Szoboszlai sits alone at the top on €100 million, making him the only player at that level set to miss the World Cup. He is followed by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the injured Hugo Ekitike on €90 million, while Italy stands out more than any other country with seven players on the list worth a combined €390 million.
The Most Valuable Players Set to Miss the 2026 World Cup
Data Source: Transfermarkt
From Szoboszlai to Donnarumma, the ranking tells two different stories
Dominik Szoboszlai sits alone at the top of the ranking on €100 million, and his absence comes through Hungary’s failure to qualify for the tournament. He is followed by two players valued at €90 million, but for very different reasons. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia misses out because Georgia did not make it, while Hugo Ekitike is ruled out by injury after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Liverpool’s 2-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
The next two names are also level. Sandro Tonali is absent after Italy’s failure to reach the World Cup, while Bryan Mbeumo misses out because Cameroon fell short as well. Victor Osimhen follows on €75 million, another major casualty of failed qualification, with Nigeria missing the tournament. Alessandro Bastoni, valued at €70 million, is next, extending Italy’s strong presence near the very top of the list.
Benjamin Sesko sits eighth on €65 million after Slovenia failed to qualify. Then come Mohammed Kudus and Carlos Baleba on €55 million, but again the reasons differ. Kudus will miss the World Cup after suffering a setback in his recovery from a thigh injury, having originally limped out of Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland on 4 January, while Baleba is absent because Cameroon are not going to the World Cup.
The €50 million bracket is packed. Rodrygo and Xavi Simons are both missing through injury despite Brazil and the Netherlands qualifying. Rodrygo suffered a ruptured ACL in his right knee, along with a tear of the lateral meniscus, after Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Getafe, while Simons ruptured his ACL in late April. Rasmus Hojlund, Riccardo Calafiori, Nicolo Barella and Federico Dimarco all miss out because Denmark and Italy did not get there. At €45 million, Samu is another injury absentee despite Spain qualifying, having ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Porto’s 1-1 draw against Sporting in early February, while Pio Esposito, Morten Hjulmand, Ilya Zabarnyi and Gianluigi Donnarumma complete the list through failed qualification.
The injury absences are only five in number, but their value is still enormous. Hugo Ekitike, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrygo, Xavi Simons and Samu add up to €290 million between them. That leaves the injury-hit group €135 million short of the top five non-injured absentees, who combine for €425 million through Dominik Szoboszlai, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Sandro Tonali, Bryan Mbeumo and Victor Osimhen.