National teams get to take 23 players to the World Cup. That’s all. And that strict limit means that every four years, many good ones are left out. The reasons can vary: a player can be out of favor, out of form or simply out with an injury. This year, as usual, some of the omissions have been more surprising and controversial than others. Here are six players who are healthy and ready to go but won’t be joining their teams in Russia, to the consternation of some of their country’s fans.
Alvaro Morata, Spain
Who is he?