Following on from the rather controversial list Top 20 Football Players Of All Time, we are now presenting the top 10 best footballers who never played in a world cup. Hopefully this will fill some gaps from the previous list and satisfy everyone. Please note that in the context of this list, football refers to soccer.
His CV and his total transfer fees combined make it incredible that Anelka has yet to play at a World Cup. He made his debut prior to the 1998 World Cup but was not selected for the squad who went on to win the tournament. He fell out of favour with the French management between 2001 and 2007 therefore missing out on two more world cups. He signed for Arsenal (£500,000) in 1997 as a teenager and from there went on to play for Real Madrid (£22.3m), Paris St. Germain (£20m), Manchester City (£13m), Bolton Wanderers (£8m) and Chelsea (£15m), as well as a loan spell at Liverpool. His combined transfer fees make him one of the most expensive footballers of all time. However, he remains in contention to play at the 2010 World Cup should France qualify.
A combination of remaining loyal to his beloved Southampton and playing in a generation of great English strikers probably cost Le Tissier his chance to feature at a World Cup. England failed to qualify in 1994 but Le Tissier’s best chance was probably in 1998. His Southampton side were perennial strugglers in the Premier League, and the likes of Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham and Andrew Cole made sure Le Tissier was overlooked.
Giles played in the heart of midfield for a Leeds United side in the 1970′s, who were the Manchester United of their day. Despite playing 60 times for his country Giles failed to grace a World Cup as either a player or a manager.
The second Welshman on the list, Rush made his name with Liverpool in the 80′s and 90′s but his quality alo saw him play abroad for the likes of Juventus. He had an impressive international record coring 28 goals in 73 games for Wales, and his proudest moment came when he scored the winner in a European Qualifier against Germany in 1991. Wales narrowly missed out on qualification for the 1992 European Championships, as they did for the 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994 World Cups.
Weah was voted African Player of the Year in 1989, 1994 and 1995 and European and World Footballer of the Year in 1995. Weah enjoed his best years in France with Monaco and Paris St. Germain, and in Italy with AC Milan between 1988 and 2000. Unfortunately, like Best and Giggs he came from Liberia, another footballing minnow who as yet have failed to make a World Cup.
Another Manchester United legend, Cantona made his France debut in 1987. However, he fell out with the French coach and failed to make the squad for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. In 1994 France sensationally failed to qualify and Cantona then retired in 1997, aged 31 to pursue a career as an actor. France won the World Cup in 1998 on home soil, but it is debateable as to whether or not Cantona would have featured.
Edwards was considered one of the greatest of his generation. One of the Busby Babes Edwards was tragically killed in the Munich air disaster of 1958. He failed to play at a World Cup for England, but probably would have played for them in 1966, when they won the tournament for the one and only time in their history.
Giggs makes no.3 on the list due to the length and consistency of his career. Giggs made his debut in 1991, and to this day remains with the same club Manchester United. During his time he has won 11 English Premierships and 2 European Cups. Giggs comes from Wales who have only ever qualified for 1 World Cup in 1958.
Di Stefano legend for Real Madrid at club level, Di Stefano mysteriously played for Argentina, Colombia and Spain at international level. Di Stefano was unfortunate to miss the World Cup with Argentina in 1950. In 1954 he was denied permission to play for Spain at the World Cup having represented both Argentina and Colombia. He was later granted permission to play for Spain but they missed the 1958 World Cup and in 1962 injury once again prevented him from playing on the worlds bigest stage. His failure to appear at a World Cup probably prevented him from being compared with Pele, Cruyff and Maradona as one of the greatest.
Best was bot only the best player to never make a World Cup, but for many the greatest player of all time. Unfortunately for Best he was a native of Northern Ireland who are relative minnows of international football and haven’t qualified for a World Cup since 1986. Best enjoyed his best years at Manchester United, the highlight being a European Cup winners medal in 1968. However, Best was as well known for his scoring off the pitch as he was on it. After a series of personal problems he left Manchester United in 1974 for good, aged just 27. Despite playing for a number of other clubs Best never recaptured his finest form and failed to play for Northern Ireland at the 1982 or 1986 World Cup. Best died in 2005 following a long battle with alcoholism.
spot the comedian bucslim at 120. Here’s a new chapter in your book. It’s called ‘America is the most hated country in the world, where everyone is a fat *****ing mess because they only eat Denny’s, IHOP and Dairy Queen’
Brilliant list.
As for the people complaining that it is european based, its pretty hard for a small european nation to qualify for a world cup. The top countries are seeded e.g. Italy, France, Spain, England, Germany etc so they don’t end up in the same group. That leaves the rest of the countries to fight it out for second place which means you have to enter a playoff.
Just another small point. Football/Soccer is played in every country in the world. In most countries every child plays it for a couple of years at least so when someone is the best in the world, they truly are the best in the world. Unlike say american football
Doesn’t a pitcher in baseball just have one skill pitching?
halo mate, im BRIT native stayin in US
please dont say bad things about AMERICA
….i’ll get KILLED… my neighbour started to point their rifle at me everytime i get back home…
@Keith (117):
Because football is a world sport. I feel you could be justified in putting football on a list because it is played by pretty much every nation in the world. Baseball on the other hand is played by a relatively small amount of nations, and is therefore a somewhat obscure sport, and putting it on a list, especially the list it made an appearance on, is automatically going to alienate a large amount of people. Truth be told, the writer of the ‘top ten skills every man should have’ list should not have named any one particular sport in the way he did.
Anelka might be playing in the next world cup..
alan sherer
A brilliant list!!! Surprisingly accurate compared to the *****-poor football lists that have previously scattered this site. Oh and 121, haha
Yeooo! Our wee Norn Iron lad came top
great list …….
maybe the omission of Liam Brady is questionable…..
From Irishman to Irishman……
“@Fenfan (44) That’s new to me as to the origins of the word soccer. But I have to correct you on the origins of the word rugger. This stems from the place where the sport was born, Rugby, where in 1823 William Webb Ellis, while playing football, picked up the ball and started running.”
Your kind of right, both rugby and football are codes of football. Rugby football and Association Football (take a look at the name of your local rugby club they will be called X RFC, rugby football club. The Web Ellis story is thought to be myth. When the sports were categorized they were both named football and for short Rugby Football became shortened to Rugger and Association Football was nicknamed soccer as in “a-ssoc-iation so yes the term soccer is English. As both games were exported around the world Americans and others adapted rugby football and came up with their own code of football, which also has the right to the name “football”.
rest in peace Best..u are the best in your era
@demirah YOUR A DICK! PELE DID NOT PLAY AT THE WORLD CUP! GET YOU’RE FACTS RIGHT BEFOR YOU DECIDE TO BE RONG!
How can Dixie Dean not be on this list!?? He’s without doubt one of the best footballers in history – holds the record for the most league goals scored in a season (60 in 39 games). Never played in a world cup cos england didnt enter until 1950.
Well, there's room for Dixie Dean now, douts. Nicolas Anelka is playing in the 2010 World Cup.
Anelka played at the last World Cup in South Africa… not a very successful appearance but still;)
Guess we got the reason now why he has been (deservingly) overlooked before
Are you serious or only a blind British fan who on earth is Best???????? in comparison with Di Stefano, I am south American and I am surprised by your jingoism, I want to put my list of 10 best footballers all-time
1.-Di Stefano
2.-Pele
3.-Maradona
4.-Garrincha
5.-Puskas
6.-Cruyff
7.-Beckenbauer
8.-Yashin
9.-Eusebio
10.-Zidane
Where on earth fir your favourite George Best????????
As a South American you obviously would never have seen him unless he had played at a World Cup. Europeans are far more qualified to name the best footballers of all time because all the best players in the World play here and we see them the most.
didnot george best win the 1966 worldcup for england lmao