By Can Erozden
ANKARA
Many international football stars, who have been omitted from their national teams' squads owing to injury problems or coach preferences, will be watching the football festival in Brazil, 2014 FIFA World Cup from their homes this summer.
According to the data compiled by an Anadolu Agency correspondent from German-based football data website "Transfermarkt," there are 3 players from Paris Saint-Germain who will sit out, and one each from Monaco, Juventus, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Roma and Bayern Munich.
The total market value of the 'starting 11' composed of the omitted stars amounts to some 270 million euros.
Victor Valdes (Goalkeeper) - Barcelona
One of the important regulars coming from Barcelona's youth academy, 32-year-old Spanish national Victor Valdes was ineligible for the World Cup in Brazil due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The experienced goalkeeper, who will start training as of September, was linked to one of the French tycoons, Monaco before injury struck.
Kyle Walker (Right back) - Tottenham Hotspur
English side Tottenham Hotspur's indispensable regular Kyle Walker is one of the important players to miss the World Cup this summer. Due to his groin injury, Walker has not been called for England’s national football team. The 23-year-old right back scored 1 goal and made 3 assists in 26 matches for his club this season.
Marquinhos (Center back) - Paris Saint-Germain
French Ligue 1 winners Paris Saint-Germain's 20-year-old Brazilian center back of Portuguese origin is unable to play for "A Seleção" (The Selection) as he's not been selected by Brazil's coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Regarded as one of the hot prospects, Marquinhos was purchased from Italian Serie A's Roma for a 31.4 million euro transfer fee.
Angelo Ogbonna (Center back) - Juventus
Angelo Ogbonna of Italian Serie A winners Juventus has not been called by Italy's head coach Cesare Prandelli for national duty. Nigerian origin Italian center back is drawing attention with his pace and athletic skills; Prandelli is also good in the air.
Filipe Luis (Left back) - Atletico Madrid
Spanish La Liga champions Atletico Madrid's 28-year-old Brazilian left back Filipe Luis will miss the World Cup due to Brazilian coach Scolari's preferences. Coming into prominence with his consistent performance both in the domestic league and UEFA Champions League, industrious Filipe Luis managed to find the net once and made 6 assists in 47 matches.
Kevin Strootman (Central midfielder) - Roma
Having shone in Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, the Netherlands' 24-year-old tenacious midfielder Kevin Strootman, who was purchased by Italian Serie A's runners-up Roma, cannot play for "Oranje" in Brazil because of his cruciate ligament injury. Strootman is coming to the fore with his physical strength, vision and tactical intelligence.
Thiago Alcantara (Central midfielder) - Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich's new arrival from Catalan club Barcelona, Spanish central midfielder Thiago Alcantara is likely to support his fellow teammates in Brazil from afar. Bavarian side Bayern's 23-year-old star will miss the World Cup because of a ruptured knee.
Lucas Moura (Right winger) - Paris Saint-Germain
French giants Paris Saint-Germain's 21-year-old Brazilian combo winger Lucas Moura was not called for national duty by Brazil's head coach Scolari. The Parisian club's young star, who was purchased for some 40 million euro transfer fee from Sao Paulo in January of 2013, scored 4 goals and made 18 assists in 52 matches for PSG.
Samir Nasri (Left winger) - Manchester City
Another omitted star is from France. English Premier League champions Manchester City's Algerian origin French left midfielder Samir Nasri's exclusion has shocked football communities in Europe. Having played for some important clubs such as Olympique de Marseille and Arsenal in the past, City's 26-year-old French international was omitted by "Les Bleus" (The Blues) head coach Didier Deschamps despite scoring 11 goals and making 12 assists in 46 matches for his club.
Javier Pastore (Attacking midfielder center) - Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain's Argentine ‘classic number 10’ Javier Pastore, who was transferred from Italian club US Palermo for a record fee amounting to 42 million euros, was also excluded from Argentina's World Cup squad. PSG's regular Pastore scored 3 goals and made 4 assists in 41 games this season.
Radamel Falcao (Striker) - Monaco
French team Monaco's Colombian star Radamel Falcao will also be ineligible for 2014 FIFA World Cup due to his anterior cruciate ligament injury keeping him out of action for several months. Regarded as one of the most valuable strikers with a 60-million-euro market value, the 28-year-old nicknamed ‘El Tigre’ (The Tiger) managed to score 11 goals in 19 matches for Monaco this season.
The eleven stars who will likely be unable to play for their national teams in Brazil are as follows:
|
Position |
Player |
Nationality |
Age |
Club |
Market value (euro) |
Reason of exclusion |
|
Goalkeeper |
Victor Valdes |
Spanish |
32 |
Barcelona |
12,000,000 |
ACL injury |
|
Right back |
Kyle Walker |
English |
23 |
Tottenham Hotspur |
19,000,000 |
Groin injury |
|
Center back |
Marquinhos |
Brazilian |
20 |
Paris Saint-Germain |
25,000,000 |
Not selected |
|
Center back |
Angelo Ogbonna |
Italian |
25 |
Juventus |
13,000,000 |
Not selected |
|
Left back |
Filipe Luis |
Brazilian |
28 |
Atletico Madrid |
15,000,000 |
Not selected |
|
Central midfielder |
Kevin Strootman |
Dutch |
24 |
Roma |
21,000,000 |
ACL injury |
|
Central midfielder |
Thiago Alcantara |
Spanish |
23 |
Bayern Munich |
30,000,000 |
Ruptured knee |
|
Right winger |
Lucas Moura |
Brazilian |
21 |
Paris Saint-Germain |
33,000,000 |
Not selected |
|
Left winger |
Samir Nasri |
French |
26 |
Manchester City |
22,000,000 |
Not selected |
|
Attacking midfielder center |
Javier Pastore |
Argentinian |
24 |
Paris Saint-Germain |
20,500,000 |
Not selected |
|
Striker |
Radamel Falcao |
Colombian |
28 |
Monaco |
60,000,000 |
ACL injury |
