Big Question: Who is the best player not selected for the World Cup?

May 18th, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

My buddies over at the Bratwurst site have put together a good list of some of the best players who were fit to go to Germany, but who were left off their team’s selection. Our pal Knut has selected a 34th team based on players not choosen. Taking a look at some of the names, you can see that there are some talented players – or players that were once talented – who won’t be participating in this World Cup.

Of all the players who were healthy but not selected, who do you think was most deserving of a ticket to Germany?

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woy

My “11″ (1-3-4-3):

Goalkeeper: Jarzy Dudek

Defenders: Walter Samuel, Javier Zanetti, Iván Helguera

Midfielders: Juan Veron, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Julio Baptista

Forward: Morientes, Maakay, Christian Vieri
http://www.worldcup2006news.net/ Knut Karnapp

I can´t really name one. Huntelaar definitely deserved a spot in Netherland´s team with something about 35 goals during the last season and there are as you said a lot more players, but ok if I had to name one I would go for Nikolas Anelka.
John

Zanetti hands down.
Jan Roskott

How bout Juan Veron and Zanetti for Argentina? Or Giuly for France? Clarence Seedorf for Holland? Edgar Davids for Holland?
DT

Alessandro Mancini (Roma)
carrie

Javier Zanetti and i still can’t believe pekerman has omitted him, he d better have an explanation
Dave Hamilton

Ailton. Brasil should have given him a spot up front, not Fred. He is a veteran presence who has been red-hot of late and has the ability to complement the attacking game of “jogo bonito” popularized by the defending champs.
mightie

i’ll miss the likes of davids, blanco, morientes, etc but what shocked me most is the exclusion of zanetti from the national team. he is the best player with excellent form and fully fit for any game, he should hav been there for argentina. Anyway all the best to argentina.
http://www.lycos.com IceKoldKube

On yesterdays performance, and the season he has had with Barcelona, Samuel Eto. It’s a shame that his skills won’t be on show in Germany.

On another note, who is the greatest player never to have played at the world cup?

Has to be George Best!
nick

guily. unbeleivable how he is not picked after having a great season for the now european champions. shows the french coach to be nothing but a weak puppet. picking dhorasso, boumsong n barthez as #1 futher illustrate his delusion
Cajun Nick

I know that England have left some talent on the pitch back home; however, given England’s concerns at striker, I’d say that Darren Bent – the top scoring English player in the EPL – should have been called up before Theo Walcott.
Rescorpione17

JAVIER ZANETTI (ARG) AMANTINO MANCINI (BRASIL) ENZO MARESCA (ITALIA) BUT ABOVE ALL CLARECE SEEDORF (HOLLAND)WHO HAS HAD 5 FABOULOUS YEARS AT MILAN ..VAN BASTEN CHOSED LONG TIME AGO A VERY NEGATIVE PATH BECAUSE HE CANNOT DEAL WITH STRON PERSONALITY THEREFORE DAVIDS AND SEEDORF ARE OUT HOLLAND FOR ALL OF THIS WILL NOT PASS TO SECOND STAGE …IS GOING TO BE UGLY FOR THEM
http://www.footballspectator.com max

Clarence Seedorf has been outstanding for the last 4 seasons he’s played at milan. A player of his experience and his calibre should not have been left at home, despite all the other (young) talent the Dutch team has.
leonardo

Javier Zanetti. No question.
Martin

I’m willing to bet that if FIFA made a team with all the rejects, they would give many teams a run for their money in the World cup…

My 23:

-Goalies-
Victor Valdes(ESP)
Jerzy Dudek (POL)
German Lux(ARG)

-Defenders-
Javier Zanetti (ARG)
Juliano Belletti (BRA)
Martin Demichelis (ARG)
Roque Junior (BRA)
Walter Samuel (ARG)
Javi Venta (ESP)

-Midfielders-
Clarence Seedorf (HOL)
Ludovic Giuly (FRA)
Juan Sebastian Veron (ARG)
Jesus Navas (ESP)
Edgar Davids (HOL)
Nigel de Jong (HOL)
Shaun Wright-Philipps (ENG)

-Forwards-
Sergio Aguero (ARG)
Jan Klaas Huntelaar (HOL)
Kevin Kuranyi (GER)
Antonio Cassano (ITA)
Diego Milito (ARG)
Fernando Morientes (ESP)
Julio Baptista (BRA)
basso

Bob has put up a picture of the player above who he knows should be playing in the world cup.
Nick

Ricardo Quaresma was the best player on the Portuguese league this season but did not make the Portuguese squad.
malik

it seems that we all agree, my beautiful argentina will be missing zannetti.
http://incadenza.typepad.com/soccer_thoughts/ Evan

Seedorf? He was dreadful in both legs for Milan against Barcelona, and he’s never much better in the league. He has a few good games, but more often he just gives the ball away. He’s coasting by on reputation alone at this point.

It has to be Zanetti, followed by Giuly.
Josh

Based on form, then definitely:
Mancini (Roma)
Liverani (Lazio)
Zanetti (Inter).
Giuly (Barca)
Baptista (Madrid)
Almunia (Barca) jk

Based on everything else:
Twellman (New England)
Pannucci (Roma)
Cassano (Madrid)
Wright-Phillips (Chelsea)
Josh

Oops, I forgot (and this is HUGE):
Lucarelli (Livorno)

And yes, that would go in the form category.
Ania

I was very disappointed with Poland’s squad. How can Janas get away with cutting Dudek? Jerzy Dudek is practically a national hero. I have to say, this year’s teams are not what I expected.
http://www.bensefels.de Bense

Davids, Makaay, Samuel, Huntelaar. THE DUtch leaue is shitty but a couple of goals still deserve a nommination.
Jorge

Giuly had a great season with monaco on the 03-04 cl and 2 great seasons with barca too, he´s much better than malouda, wiltord or ribery, and he deserved that spot
I got the chance to watch Huntelaar 4 or 5 times and really liked what he did,I
think he had to be on the squad and maybe even on the starting eleven 11, if Van Basten tried to take young players then Huntelaar really had to be there
http://www.blogcn.com/user21/phyllis_san_siro/index.html Phyllis

Morientes (Liverpool)
Guti (Real Madrid)
Cassano (Real Madrid)
Pannucci (Roma)
Zanetti (Inter Milan)
Seedorf (AC Milan)
Maakay (Bayren)
http://none Abdul

I am looking forward to the world cup, but now with an Argentine team without Javier Zanetti I don’t know if I will enjoy watching the Argentine team like I used to. Javier Zanetti is the best player in the team and he is irreplacable. Now, I have to call my younger brother in a remote area in Somalia my home country to tell him the bad news that Pekerman did not select Zanetti, I exactly know how he would feel. As he is the biggest fan of Zanetti. I even doubt if he will watch Argentinas games anymore. This is unfair not only for Zanetti and Argentina, but also for fans all over the world. Get rid of Pekerman soon, he is a failure even before the tournament started.
Another note I agree that Seedorf shouhd have been included in the Dutch team. Teho Walcot will be the surprise package at this years tounament.
http://www.viuasfotos.com/euler.htm Euler

Nice comment Martin! I totally agree that Belletti and Julio Baptista could very easily be in our team. With Belletti the Barça become a lot more aggressive. Julio Baptista is a monster in his position too.

Roque Junior… I won’t be missing him that much.
Phil

If we are talking about players from all countries, not just those that qualified the best player not to be there must be Et’o. On his form for Barca it’s a real shame. Hopefully next time ?…