Tuesday, June 1, 2010

11 Stars Who Missed World Cup

They are known as the talented and best soccer players with amazing career, especially with their clubs. However, for whatever reason, they never get it to the biggest and brightest stage on planet earth, the FIFA World Cup. It might be because they played for a country that never made it, maybe they fell out with management, or they weren't lucky enough to comprise primarily of the injured. Here's to sum up, based on several sources.











11. BRUCE GROBBELAAR (Zanzibar)
An athletic goalkeeper who is remembered as one of the all-time greatest army in Anfield's history. His debut since 1981 and completed more than 400 appearances for The Reds in 13 years, winning six League titles, one European Cup and the FA Cup, plus thrice League Cup. He has 32 international caps for Zimbabwe with big opportunities to previously qualifying the showpiece of international football in the USA'94. The Warriors managed to knock out Egypt and finished top of the preliminary group to move ahead of Pharaoh, Angola & Togo. Tragically they missed on maiden World Cup finals, secondly behind Cameroon then Zimbabwe hasn't come closer again. Now he has a big chance to join World Cup'10, back to his land-born as a football lover.












10. LIAM BRADY (Ireland)

A midfielder with elegant technical skills and high-quality passing control, Liam found his success with Arsenal (where he got nickname "Chippy") for one FA Cup title and Juventus for two Serie A titles. With 72 international caps for the Republic of Ireland and scoring 9 goals, he retired from the international game because of a suspension accrued before Euro '88 and his injury during qualification for Italia '90.












09. KAZUYOSHI MIURA (Japan)

"Kazu" is a striker, arguably Japan's first superstar in football and currently the oldest one in  Japan's professional leagues. His best career was pointed as the first Japanese who play in Serie A Italy, joining Genoa F.C in the 1994–1995 seasons. He played in national team history with 55 goals in 89 matches, with appearances in 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup Qualification but missed World Cup 2002 in his hometown because of the retirement in 2000.








 
08. ALBERTO SPENCER (Ecuador)

Considered as one of the best South American players at all time, Alberto remains largely as an unknown footballer in Europe. Maybe it is because he never plays for any clubs in European League or participates in the World Cup. In international front, he holds the unique distinction of being the only goalscorer who was being capped by two different countries simultaneously, Ecuador (11 caps, 4 goals) and Uruguay (4 caps, 1 goal). He scored one goal for Uruguay when met England in a friendly match at Wembley, also remembered as the first Ecuadorian-born player to score in that stadium.
Incredibly, because of his brilliant skills and last name (indicating British ancestry from his father's side), he was nearly capped by the England in 1966 World Cup. Also known as "Cabeza Magica" (Spanish for "Magic Head"), Alberto was omitted from FIFA's, and Pele's list of 100 greatest living players.









07. ABEDI "PELE" AYEW (Ghana)

As the three times African Footballer of the Year, success in Germany and Italy mostly in France with the Marseille, he kissed a Champions League trophy in 1993. Abedi has 73 international caps for Ghana since 1982 to 1998, unfortunately the Black Stars always failed to qualify for the World Cup competition during his career.












06. RYAN GIGGS (Wales)

Giggs has silky skills and speed to define clubs that dominated eras in EPL, and he won everything there was to win. Giggs has won 11 English Premierships and 2 European Cups, but he was born in Cardiff that made him never eligible to play for Three Lion. He played for Wales 64 times, scoring 12 goals, never reaching any major tournament included World Cup until his retiring from the national side in 2007.










 

05. ERIC CANTONA (France)

The enigmatic Frenchman is also the Manchester United legend, Cantona made his international debut in 1987. However, he fell out with management (by calling a coach "a bag of shit") before the 1990 World Cup so he wasn't selected to Italy. In 1994, France sensationally failed to qualify, Cantona is remembered with his kung-fu fighting moment and was stripped off of the French captaincy also banned from football. Then he retired in 1997 with his capped 45 times to score 20 goals, a year before France win the World Cup.












04. IAN RUSH (Wales)

The Anfield goal machine with mustache and a lot lot of goals, with an impressive international record scoring 28 goals in 73 games for Wales includes the European Qualifier'91 against Germany. Sadly for him, the rest of the Welsh team was not so talented and always failed to qualify for any major tournament throughout his career.












03. GEORGE WEAH (Liberia)

Another sad story of the most talented in the world playing for a country that was never good enough to join the party. Weah enjoyed his best years in France with Monaco & Paris St. Germain, with AC Milan between 1988 - 2000 in Italy. He was voted African Player of the Year in 1989, 1994 and 1995, also European and World Footballer of the Year in 1995. Ironically Liberia failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup by just one point, and Weah remains the only World Player of the Year who never plays in the World Cup.











02. GEORGE BEST (Northern Ireland)

And as the Irish accurately say: "Maradona good, Pele better, George Best" - sadly, unlike the Brazilian and Argentinean greats, Bestie has never got -even take part in one- to join the World Cup. Northern Ireland did make it to qualify for the 1982 in Spain but by the time at 36-years-old, he drowned ten years and several gallons of booze past his peak, and it never happened. We probably don't need any reminder on his ability on the ball though, as he lit up English football and picked up a European Cup with Manchester United for years and years. Best died in 2005 following a long battle with alcoholism.












01. ALFREDO DI STEFANO (Argentina, Colombian, Spain)

The story of a legend for Real Madrid at club level is more complicated than some of the others above. Born in Argentina, unfortunately they didn't play in the 1950 World Cup. Then Di Stefano became a Colombian international, but never made a World Cup. He became a Spanish in 1956, yet they didn't qualify for the 1958 World Cup too. Finally he led La Furia Roja to the 1962 finals, but he got injured before the tournament thus prevented to play.
Fans of today have never seen Di Stefano, but one has to remember that he was the main factor why Real Madrid won five consecutive European Championships. He was a phenomenal player and Mr. Real Madrid made the other players in team very good. But his failure appeared at a World Cup, probably complicated him from being compared with Pele or Maradona as one of the greatest. (hNa)

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

How can you come up with this idea...
Are you a liverpudlian?

Anonymous said...

Pantesan sejak Iswadi Idris ampe Bambang Pamungkas gk pernah beken di dunia, lantaran si PSSI keok mulu n gk kunjun muncul di World Cup.

LIGA FANTASI said...

Yes, I'm a liverpudlian .. with mustache too

LIGA FANTASI said...

Allow me to enlighten you, my friend. It is true that formally PSSI never been played in World Cup Finals, but Indonesia pernah tampil di ajang bergengsi itu atas nama NIVU (Nederlandsche Indische Voetbal Unie) dan diakui FIFA.
Tepatnya pada Piala Dunia 1938 di Prancis, tercatat nama Bing Mo Heng (kiper), Herman Zommers, Hans Taihattu, Franz Meeng, Isaac Pattiwael, Pan Hong Tjien, Frans Pede Hukom, Suwarte Soedermandji, Jack Sammuels, Anwar Sutan, dan kiri luar Nawir yg juga jadi kapten.
Sementara PSSI yg telah berdiri April 1930 dan diketuai insinyur lulusan Jerman yakni Soeratin Sosrosoegondo, masih belum diakui FIFA. Namun Indonesia bolehlah berbangga sbg wakil Asia pertama yg tampil di ajang dunia ini.

Anonymous said...

thank's for your information sir...
that's very interesting...

Anonymous said...

ehmm..
how do you can make blog very cool like this sir??
very cool...

suwendra agna said...

How interesting you've compiled 11 stars who missed to World Cup, and it's included a goalkeeper. This obviously make it different with another similar blogs.
So keep on blogging.

Anonymous said...

we can not think who is going to survive until the final round ... that's what makes it even more interesting ...

LIGA FANTASI said...

@Suwendra: Yes, the main idea was how to collect 11 stars who missed to World Cup as a team. So we can call it 'the outcast team' or whatever, it pretty hard to find a goalkeeper also defenders though. Anyhow, thanks for compliment ;o)

LIGA FANTASI said...

@Banie's Art: You absolutely right, mate. A soccer match relates to twist-ending, an event bigger than a drama ;o)

José Carlos López said...

Hi:

first time, sorry for my bad english. Excellent post. I wanted to inform you that in http: // unionzonanorte.blogspot.com I you have hung a link on the space webs friends (WEBS AMIGAS) to accede to LIGA FANTASI. Regards

LIGA FANTASI said...

Amigo, don't mention about english. As long we get to each other, ningún problema en absoluto.
Yes, I put my link over there para mantenerse en contacto. Se refiere ;o)

José Carlos López said...

I don't speak english and it's so difficult for me walk you. I say what i've put a permanently link to ligafantasi.blogspot.com in my blog (unionzonanorte.blogspot.com) for spanish people knows you and your excelent job. You understand me?
Regards

José Carlos López said...

If you're a Liverpool supporter or Liverpool team likes you, I have another blog edited for me about Liverpool team.

The site is: anfield.madrid.blogspot.com

Saludos (regards)

José Carlos López said...

sorry, anfieldmadrid.blogspot.com (no point ".")

José Carlos López said...

José Manuel Gutierrez "Guti", it's actually one of the best players in Real Madrid history. He has been international with Spain but he is a people so conflictive with press. He will not play the world cup and never has played this competition, but probably it's today, one of the best players of the world.

LIGA FANTASI said...

I have visited anfieldmadrid.blogspot, it's only for members. I need to register first.

Thanks for adding info about Guti, yes he's a good midfielder. I'll consider to pick him next for sequel this article (but I don't know when).
I heard rumors he will sign contract to Juve or any club in Serie A, will he go?

Anonymous said...

Never forget Bernd Schusterbut who play in Barcelona and Real Madrid. He early retired from international football after fell out with German management.

José Carlos López said...

Hi, anfieldmadrid.blogspot.com (english version)from today isn't only for members. You don't need register first. Sorry.

Guti in this moment has contract for one year with Real Madrid, He say he wants go to other team but in this moment with Mourinho he wants stay here. Mourinho says he don't want Guti because he says previously he wants to go other team. How I said, it's a conflictive people. I hope Guti to be continued in Real Madrid.

LIGA FANTASI said...

Good news, I'll slide to your blog soon. And g'luck to Guti, he gave me a lot of points by to pick him into my La Liga Fantasy ;o)

Anonymous said...

How interesting you've compiled 11 stars who missed to World Cup, and it's included a goalkeeper. This obviously make it different with another similar blogs.
So keep on blogging.Sports Good

India sports

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