A Missing Quintet

With the World Cup a mere couple of days away, we are all excited to see the World’s finest parade their skills at the home of football. The Maracana Stadium will see one of the planet’s greatest players lift the trophy high above his head in joy, and their skill, heart & talent will have done it.

However, there are certain players that will not be going to the World Cup but are of world-class calibre – and are probably better than many of the players that are going. Let’s take a look at some of these missing stars:

John Terry

Chelsea FC’s most successful captain and one of England’s best defenders ever will not be going to the World Cup after he was forced to resign by the English FA’s continuous witch-hunt against him. His tale (starting with attacks on his personal life and ending with false racism allegations) is well-storied and resulted in Fabio Capello resigning over the unfair treatment of his captain.

Either way, he has come off the back of one of his best personal seasons ever under trusted manager Jose Mourinho and is the better half of the world’s finest defensive partnership alongside Gary Cahill – who is deservedly going. Roy Hodgson failed to re-unite them and the influential captain who wears St. George’s cross burnt into his heart will have to watch his departing teammate and friend Frank Lampard storm Brazil alone.

Caps: 78
Goals: 6

Radamel Falcao

El Tigre is another one of the premium players who will not be going, after failing to get fit in time for Colombia’s trip to Brazil. It is a terrible blow to the World Cup and is down to an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in a 3-0 French Cup win.

All over the world, the “Forza Tigre” movement in support of his recovery grew. Everybody’s worst fear was that he wouldn’t recover, and it proved to be so. He is the world’s purest no. 9, and it will be a big miss not to watch him tear up defences for his country.

Caps: 51
Goals: 20

Gareth Bale

History’s most expensive footballer and the scorer of THAT wonder-goal against Barcelona (and the winner against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final) will not be going to the World Cup.
Wales were unable to qualify, thus robbing the World Cup of the boy from Southampton who is now a Galactico in Madrid. He has had a splendid debut season, scoring 22 goals and notching up 16 assists for Real Madrid, as he took the double.

Unfortunately, his national teammates are nowhere near his astronomical level, so none of them are going to Brazil.

Caps: 44
Goals: 12

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

The Stylish Swede lost out in a straight knockout match against the Predatory Portuguese (Ronaldo), and his 4-2 aggregate loss (in the play-offs) to the Ballon D’Or winner will see him stay home.

After a brilliant season with PSG – in which he re-affirmed his status as one of the world’s best strikers – the scorer of a million wonder-goals will rue the fact that he will not be at what would probably be his last World Cup. Months away from his 33rd birthday, Henrik Larsson’s successor will not grace us with scorpion or propeller kicks on the biggest international stage ever again.

Caps: 96
Goals: 48

Ashley Cole

England’s greatest ever left-back and the only man to win 7 FA Cups (as many as Chelsea FC) lost his place in the Chelsea squad to Azpilicueta, and then in the England squad to the slightly overrated Luke Shaw.

While Leighton Baines has undeniably earned himself a starting spot due to his energy and set-piece threat, it is odd that England will be taking young Shaw ahead of their best man. Even Hodgson admitted that he’d rather not have to play Shaw, which is an odd thing considering he picked him.

Having retired as their most-capped left-back, anyone who’s ever seen him play will know that not having him on their flank will seriously weaken England.

Caps: 107
Goals: 0