Top News

8 July 2026

Kobbie Mainoo has been left out of a line-up featuring the best players yet to feature for their nations in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals.

Declan Rice doesn’t rate Mainoo, and evidently, neither does Thomas Tuchel. The Manchester United youngster fails to make the cut for this team of unused stars still competing in the tournament.

Despite his promise “to make it hard for the manager to decide,” David Raya has not been able to make his case internationally, even as a Premier League champion and Champions League finalist.

Although many consider Raya the best goalkeeper in world football at the moment, he remains a backup option for Spain.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente defended his stance, saying, “It would be unfair if we didn’t value Unai’s quality, class, career, and professional experience.” Given that Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon has just set a World Cup record for the most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal, his reasoning is understandable.

Still, it’s remarkable that while Raya continues to shine at club level, his last competitive appearance for Spain came back in November 2024.

Rumours circulated that Bilal El Ouahdi was denied a US visa before the World Cup due to his father’s beard, but it seems a quick conversation between Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino cleared the way for him to join Morocco’s World Cup squad.

So far, the Genk defender has yet to make an appearance for the Atlas Lions in Qatar.

El Ouahdi already owns an Olympic bronze medal and a U23 Africa Cup of Nations title with Morocco, and as Achraf Hakimi’s understudy, his tally of three senior caps is respectable.

Drafted in after Tino Livramento’s injury, Trevoh Chalobah was hardly a natural or popular replacement.

Tuchel explained, “We called Trevoh Chalobah because it frees up Jarrell Quansah to play full-back on both sides, and Djed Spence can play full-back on both sides, so it gives us full coverage in defence.”

It remains uncertain where Chalobah fits in, but if he does make a World Cup debut, the Dan Burn blueprint of self-sacrificing defending could turn him into an unlikely national hero.

Brandon Mechele, Nathan Ngoy, and Arthur Theate may not evoke the dominance of Vincent Kompany, Toby Alderweireld, and Jan Vertonghen at the back for Belgium, but Zeno De Winter still cannot break into the side.

The 24-year-old recently completed his third full top-flight season and should find stability at AC Milan, who signed him for £20 million last summer to replace Malick Thiaw.

However, with Ruben Amorim taking charge at Milan, De Winter may need to adapt quickly to a back-three system to maintain his place.

Lucas Hernandez, a World Cup winner who missed only 40 minutes of France’s 2018 triumph in Russia, is now facing the opposite fate—watching Les Bleus’ campaign entirely from the bench.

He’s no stranger to such a role: at Euro 2021, he shared left-back duties with Lucas Digne and, more oddly, Adrien Rabiot, before injuries limited him to just 13 minutes across the following two tournaments.

His brother Theo, now at Al-Hilal, has started two matches, but Lucas, still on the periphery at PSG, must continue to bide his time.

Juan Munoz, who joined Liverpool for £34.5 million this summer, has yet to make his first appearance at the tournament. His versatility on the left flank was a key reason for the Reds triggering his release clause.

Fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the 22-year-old, who made headlines for his performances with Newcastle, have been disappointed so far.

That’s largely due to the fierce competition within Spain’s attack, led by the brilliance of Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal, and the impressive Alex Baena.

Didier Deschamps recalled N’Golo Kante in November, promising him “an important role” after a year-long absence from the French squad.

Kante’s move from Saudi Arabia to Fenerbahce helped revive his international prospects, but he is yet to feature in this World Cup.

The midfielder’s tournament record remains peculiar: a substitute at Euro 2016, France’s key player at the 2018 World Cup, part of the underwhelming side eliminated in the Euro 2021 last 16, injured for the 2022 World Cup, and then overwhelmed by Spain’s midfield at Euro 2024.

However, with Aurelien Tchouameni injured and Manu Kone suspended, Kante might yet get his chance against Morocco in the quarter-final.

France could also turn to their prodigious 20-year-old, Warren Zaire-Emery, who played more minutes than any other player for Paris Saint-Germain last season, appearing 54 times and winning five trophies in 2025/26.

Despite his achievements, Deschamps continues to favour his trusted regulars. Zaire-Emery, who has 11 senior caps across friendlies, qualifiers, and Nations League fixtures, has yet to play a single World Cup minute.

Reports suggest feelings of ‘dismay’ and ‘bewilderment’ within his camp at the repeated benching. The youngster admitted it’s “always frustrating not to play” but reiterated his willingness to fill any role, even at right-back.

History seems to be repeating itself: Zaire-Emery didn’t play a minute at Euro 2024 and now has the same World Cup minutes as William Prunier. At this rate, that Manchester United move looks increasingly unlikely.

De la Fuente praised his midfield depth after the win over Portugal, saying, “Rodrigo is the guiding light of this team, a player with exceptional vision, which is why he is the best player in the world in his position. Behind him is Martin Zubimendi, who is the second-best player in the world in that position.”

Spain’s long-standing tradition of producing elite midfielders continues to create headaches. Zubimendi, a Premier League champion in his debut season, finds himself behind Rodri in the national hierarchy.

He played a key role at Euro 2024, replacing an injured Rodri at half-time to help Spain defeat England in the final, but his turn in the Americas has yet to come.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Grimaldo, often used as an attacking left-back, helped Bayer Leverkusen claim an unbeaten Bundesliga title and earned a move to Atletico Madrid.

While his attacking instincts may not perfectly fit Diego Simeone’s defensive system, learning under the Argentine could refine his game and eventually allow him to overtake Marc Cucurella for Spain’s left-back role.