Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Robert Lewandowski has scored more than 700 goals for club and country in his long career
305 CommentsOne of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years - Poland's Robert Lewandowski - is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday's play-off final.
Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions - twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca - may have played in his last major international tournament.
We have taken a look at six players who have missed out on qualifying for this summer's finals.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.
Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
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Published1 day agoSerhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Serhou Guirassy is fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season
Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.
But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Georgia only won one of their six qualifying matches - 3-0 at home against Bulgaria
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d'Or awards.
But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Robert Lewandowski will be 41 when the 2030 World Cup takes place
Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.
He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.