The Best Serie A Players Missing The 2022 FIFA World Cup In Qatar

Following the sporting failure of Italy’s national team, a long list of Italian players competing in Serie A are going to miss the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to kick tomorrow at 11am EST as hosting nation Qatar battle Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.

Along with Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri, several highly-talented players from AC Milan, AS Roma, Inter Milan, Juventus and Napoli have been left out of the world’s most glorious soccer tournament.

Two AS Roma players arguably deserved a call-up to the England national team, one of them being former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham. Since joining Jose Mourinho’s squad in 2021, the 25-year-old London native has had a marvelous impact on the Italian league, scoring 17 goals in his first Serie A campaign.

Even though his goal-scoring rate hasn’t been extraordinary this season, he could have provided some diversity in manager Gareth Southgate’s offense, serving as a valuable back-up option to captain Harry Kane in the center-forward role.

The other Giallorosso that was left out of England’s 26-man squad is center-back Chris Smalling, who has risen to become a regular starter in Mourinho’s lineup at AS Roma.

Aside from having shown great improvement in his defensive reads, Smalling has an undeniable knack for scoring goals, which could have been a determining factor in one-legged knockout ties at the World Cup. Smalling, who stands at 6-foot-4, has three goals in 15 Serie A games this season, averaging one goal every five games, an outstanding statistic for a center-back.

AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, who was awarded the 2021/22 Serie A Best Goalkeeper, will unfortunately miss the 2022 FIFA World Cup with France after suffering a calf injury in late October.

While Maignan can blame bad luck, it is hard to explain the exclusion of English center-back Fikayo Tomori, perhaps the most performing defender in the AC Milan squad that clinched the 2021/22 Scudetto.

Pace, timing and physicality make Tomori an incredible marker, among the best in Italy when it comes to one-versus-one duels. Not coincidentally, he is the English center-back with the highest rate of successful tackles across Europe’s top-5 leagues since the beginning of last season.

Some soccer pundits even argue that Tomori should have been a starter in England’s formation, as his form would have made him a more natural pick than Harry Maguire, who has only recorded three appearances at Manchester United this season.

Another Serie A’s high-profile center back that will miss the 2022 FIFA World Cup is Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar, the captain of the Slovakia team that failed to qualify.

German wing-back Robin Gosens, who used to record incredible statistics at Atalanta, was not called up by his national team after enduring a couple of rough years at Inter Milan. His little playing time and questionable form are probably the reasons why Germany manager Hansi Flick opted for other players on the flanks.

Serie A fans should keep an eye out in Qatar for the Nerazzurri striker Lautaro Martinez, who is expected to play a major role for Argentina in what will be Lionel Messi’s last chance to hoist the trophy. Lautaro’s compatriot and Inter Milan teammate, Joacquin Correa, was forced to fly back from Qatar after suffering an injury just days before the Albiceleste’s 2022 FIFA World Cup debut.

Five Napoli players have landed in Qatar, with Serie A top goal scorer Victor Osimhen probably being the most notable absentee as Nigeria’s national team did not make the tournament.

Portuguese left-back Mario Rui could have made the 26-man squad following his brilliant form with Napoli so far in the league, where he ranks third in assists. Rui’s passing accuracy could have benefited the goal instinct of Cristiano Ronaldo who, like Messi, will give his all in the last FIFA World Cup of his incredibly successful career.

Juventus, in turn, have sent 11 players to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the most of any Italian team. Considering the amount of physical and nervous effort required to compete in such a prestigious competition, it will be interesting to see whether the tournament will weigh on the Juventus roster when it’s time to resume Serie A action in January.

French midfielder Paul Pogba, who has yet to play a game for the Bianconeri this season due to a bothersome knee injury, won’t be able to help his teammates defend the crown in Qatar.

Those players who have not taken off for Qatar will be back in action on January 3, 2023, when Serie A resumes its schedule following the seven-week break forced by the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Napoli are deservedly leading thanks to an impressive 13-2-0 record that still sees them undefeated. The Partenopei have created an eight-point gap over second-placed AC Milan, with Juventus, Lazio, Inter Milan, Atalanta and AS Roma all chasing from behind.