GOAL runs through the most high-profile players to be overlooked by their respective national teams for the biggest tournament in football…
Being a national team manager in the build-up to a tournament is an unenviable task.
There is invariably deafening noise as anticipation builds and it is nigh on impossible to universally satisfy the baying public with your squad selection, with every decision scrutinised in granular detail.
'WHERE IS X?!', 'HOW CAN HE OVERLOOK Y FOR THIRD-CHOICE GOALIE!', 'Z JUST WON SERIE A, FOR GOODNESS SAKE!'
It must be tough, but on occasion with those squad announcements, an egregious choice is made or a storyline emerges that rocks the football world.
Below,GOALruns through the most high-profile players to have been overlooked for a World Cup…
ReproduçãoCarlos Alberto – 1966
Scorer of one of the greatest World Cup goals of all time in the final four years later when he captained the Selecao, the legendary right-back was surprisingly cut from an initial 44-man training squad for England 66 despite being highly rated.
The 37-year-old Djalma Santos – who is similarly iconic – was picked ahead of him and went on to contest his fourth World Cup.
Alberto probably wasn't all that gutted to miss out in the end, though, as Brazil produced their worst-ever performance on football's biggest stage and exited at the group stage.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesDiego Maradona – 1978
Despite being just 17 years old, Maradona was already making quite the impression with his goalscoring exploits for Argentinos Juniors, earning a call-up to the Argentina Under-20 side with a home World Cup approaching.
However, pragmatic coach Cesar Luis Menotti didn't back the precocious talent to handle the pressure of the fanfare surrounding a World Cup on Argentine soil at his tender age.
Maradona missed out on a glorious campaign as a result, but oh boy, would he be back for his moment in the sun…
GettyLiam Brady – 1990
One of the finest players the Republic of Ireland has ever produced, Arsenal legend Liam Brady never represented his country at a major tournament.
With a style not in keeping with Jack Charlton's modus operandi, the then-West Ham star was left at home for Italia 90 – a decision that brought an end to his playing career.
Speaking to in 2020, Brady insisted he held no grudges, but still aimed a dig: "When we qualified in 1990, the team had moved on, I was surplus to requirements, Jack had lads in midfield who could get up and down the pitch, and maybe my style had had its time.
"If I had a different type of manager who believed in another type of football I could have been in that 1990 World Cup squad but he wasn't that way inclined.
"He wanted the ball to go from back to front as quickly as possible, put defences under pressure so they'd make a mistake, rather than trying creative football.
"So, that's why I didn't go."
Getty ImagesRoberto Mancini – 1994
This was more a case of self-admitted self-sabotage from the Euro 2020-winning Italy coach.
Roberto Mancini – who had a tempestuous association with the Azzurri in his playing days – refused to be a part of Arrigo Sachhi's squad for USA '94, believing the manager's preferred system did not get the best out of him. Italy would reach the final but suffered defeat to Brazil.
"I refused to follow Arrigo Sacchi in the United States. Another mistake paid for dearly. Today I can say I regret it, but of course it's too late," Mancini said in an interview with in 2009.