Shattered dreams: best XI from countries not at the World Cup

1 Gianluigi Donnarumma (goalkeeper, Italy) The 27-year-old Italy captain is widely considered one of the best keepers in the world. After a high-profile move to Manchester City, he has quickly adapted to the Premier League demands for ball-playing, a skill he honed at Paris Saint-Germain. Despite his Euro 2020 penalty-saving heroics , Donnarumma failed to stop a single one against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Azzurri’s crunch World Cup playoff . 2 Jon Aramburu (right-back, Venezuela) The 23-year-old rose to prominence after an impressive Copa América 2024 showing, where he played as a left-back and right-back; a dream for any manager. His aggressive defensive style and tireless work ethic have established him as a crucial asset for Real Sociedad but despite his talents, Venezuela missed out on the World Cup inter-confederation playoffs by two points. Venezuela’s Jon Aramburu had plenty to shout about during the 2024 Copa América. Photograph: Buda Mendes/Getty Images 3 Edmond Tapsoba (central defence, Burkina Faso) The Bayer Leverkusen centre-back has established himself as one of Europe’s best ball-playing defenders, key to his club’s domestic success under Xabi Alonso in 2023-24. The 27-year-old is known for his composure and exceptional passing range, but despite his stellar form, Burkina Faso failed to qualify for their first World Cup. …