Borussia Dortmund
Not Going to North America: Profiling the Premier Names Missing the 2026 World Cup
A tactical and qualification review of high-profile players who will not appear at the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will arrive without a collection of high-profile players whose absence reflects qualification failures, managerial choices and underwhelming form. This piece examines those omissions using only the available facts.
Slovenia’s collapse in qualifying means Jan Oblak could finish his career without a World Cup appearance. Slovenia failed to qualify for the first time since 2010 and Oblak will be 37 by 2030. The draft noted signs that his once exceptional consistency has dissipated, though he remains Slovenia’s No. 1 for the immediate future.
Serbia missed automatic qualification and its campaign produced just nine goals in eight qualifiers. Dragan Stojković resigned last October and Veljko Paunović took over. Dušan Vlahović scored twice in qualifying and the side missed second place by one point to Albania. Compatibility issues between Vlahović and Aleksandar Mitrović were cited as factors.
Germany left Karim Adeyemi at home. Nagelsmann’s decision matters because Adeyemi, at Borussia Dortmund, offers genuine pace and a threat in behind—qualities distinct from Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade, Deniz Undav and Maximilian Beier. His goalscoring record is not strong, but his profile is unique within the squad.
France omitted Eduardo Camavinga. The Real Madrid midfielder has struggled for form this term, and the “dire club campaign” may persuade him to leave Madrid.
England manager Thomas Tuchel selected Reece James, Tino Livramento and Djed Spence at right back, leaving out Trent Alexander-Arnold. Alexander-Arnold had a difficult debut season at Real Madrid, struggled for a regular starting place and faced increased scrutiny over defensive vulnerabilities.
Italy’s failure to qualify saw an emotional playoff final defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina after Alessandro Bastoni’s red card; Sandro Tonali scored in the playoff semifinal. Inter teammate Nicoló Barella and others including Bastoni, Federico Dimarco, Manuel Locatelli and Riccardo Calafiori will watch from home.
Other notable absentees include Sehou Guirassy for Guinea, Ademola Lookman after Nigeria’s disastrous campaign, Benjamin Šeško with Slovenia, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden after dips in form, João Pedro despite 23 goals for Chelsea, Bryan Mbeumo with Cameroon eliminated by DR Congo, Robert Lewandowski after Poland’s playoff defeat to Sweden, Victor Osimhen’s Nigeria missing out, and Gianluigi Donnarumma who failed to save any of four penalties in the Bosnia shootout.
Each omission alters the tournament’s shape and underlines how qualification, selection and form determine World Cup participation.
Al Ahli
Yashin Trophy 2026 shortlists reveal established names and fresh contenders
The 2026 Yashin Trophy shortlists are out, with new contenders joining familiar goalkeeping names.
The 2026 Yashin Trophy race has taken shape, with 10 men and five women named on the latest shortlists for football’s top goalkeeping honour.
There will be a new men’s winner this year after Gianluigi Donnarumma, who led the rankings in 2025, was not included among the nominees. That opens the door for a wide-open contest featuring several familiar figures and a few first-time entrants.
Thibaut Courtois is again in the mix, underlining the standing he has built over several years. Barcelona’s Joan García has also earned a first nomination after a season that put him firmly among the leading candidates. Arsenal’s David Raya, last season’s Premier League Golden Glove winner, is on the list too, while Emiliano Martínez returns to the spotlight after being nominated for his work with former employers Aston Villa and later joining Chelsea this summer.
The men’s shortlist also includes Matvey Safonov and Gregor Kobel, plus the Saudi Arabia-based pair of Yassine Bounou and Édouard Mendy. Unai Simón is recognised after helping Spain to World Cup glory, while Vozinha completes the lineup after another notable campaign at 40 years old.
Courtois and Martínez have both lifted the prize before, with Martínez a two-time winner in 2023 and 2024.
On the women’s side, Hannah Hampton is back after becoming the first winner of the Women’s Yashin Trophy last year. She is joined by Ann-Katrin Berger and Cata Coll, who finished second and third in the inaugural edition. Manchester City’s Ayaka Yamashita and Kansas City Current’s Lorena complete the women’s shortlist.
The full lists confirm a competition that mixes proven pedigree with new challengers, and the final outcome now depends on which goalkeeper can turn nomination into the highest honour.
Arsenal
Nwaneri’s Dortmund loan underlines Arsenal’s long-term view
Nwaneri joins Dortmund on loan as Arsenal keep faith in the academy graduate for the future.
Ethan Nwaneri has left Arsenal for Borussia Dortmund on a season-long loan as he seeks more regular football in 2026/27.
With competition for places once again fierce at Arsenal, the Premier League’s youngest-ever appearance-maker will continue his progress away from north London for the coming campaign.
Dortmund offer him a significant platform. The attacking midfielder joins a side aiming to challenge Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title and remain competitive in the Champions League. BVB began their league season with a 2-0 win over Hamburg and have made a point of targeting young signings this summer as they look to reinforce their standing as one of Europe’s leading developers of talent.
The move has come after summer arrival Giannis Konstantelias suffered an ACL tear on his competitive debut for Dortmund last Saturday.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the German club will cover Nwaneri’s full salary during the loan.
Arsenal’s stance, though, makes the deal noteworthy for what it does not include. There is no buy option or obligation attached, leaving the Gunners clear in their belief that the academy graduate remains part of their future.
Nwaneri had been linked with a departure throughout the summer, while his compatriot and fellow teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly was also the subject of exit talk. Even so, the reigning Premier League champions resisted any permanent sale of either player.
For Nwaneri, the opportunity at Dortmund should provide valuable minutes and an environment built around youth. If the loan goes well, it could strengthen his case for a return to Mikel Arteta’s first-team plans.
Barcelona
Flick’s comments underline Barcelona’s early concerns after Adeyemi debut
Flick questioned Adeyemi’s debut and noted Rashford’s impact has already shaped Barcelona’s plans.
Hansi Flick has made it clear that Barcelona are still assessing Karim Adeyemi’s place in the squad after a debut he felt fell short of the standard expected. The forward featured against Birmingham City just eight days after completing his move from Borussia Dortmund, and Flick was candid in his view of what followed.
“Karim, some things he did were not that good. I think he has more potential to show, but he is still in the first week of training so that’s normal,” Flick summarized. “I’ve seen a better Karim in training with his speed and finishing, but he has a lot of potential and can give us a lot.”
Adeyemi has arrived to add depth on the flanks, in a similar way to Anthony Gordon, but the routes to regular minutes are different. While Gordon could eventually stand in for Raphinha on the left, Adeyemi faces a much tougher task on the right because Lamine Yamal occupies that role. His most realistic work is expected to come in less demanding La Liga fixtures, especially those placed between Champions League weeks, along with Copa del Rey ties. A sustained run would likely depend on injury to the teenager.
That makes the need for immediate impact all the more important when Adeyemi does get opportunities. Barcelona’s recent standard in that backup role was shaped by Marcus Rashford, whose 28 goals and assists in all competitions proved valuable whenever Yamal or Raphinha were unavailable. Even so, reports late last season suggested the Catalans still wanted more from him without the ball.
A permanent move for Rashford never made enough financial sense when Gordon was available on a similar annual cost, and the 28-year-old has already accepted that he will not be back at Camp Nou for 2026-27 now that Adeyemi has also arrived. Even so, his spell appears to have left an impression on Flick.
