The uncapped, Part Four

1- Billy Bonds

West Ham midfielder Billy Bonds had his best years in the 1970s with Manager Ron Greenwood at the helm.

He was mostly on the fringes of the national team but never selected.

When Greenwood was appointed as England Manager he did call up Bonds in a World Cup qualifier vs. Italy in 1977, but he never left the bench.

Photo from: World Soccer, November 1976 

(Billy Bonds)

2- Maurizio Ganz

Italian striker Maurizio Ganz burst on the scene during the 1992/93 with a surprising Atalanta team under Marcelo Lippi.

Arrigo Sacchi called him up for two Italy squads for a World Cup Qualifier vs. Malta (March 1993) and Estonia (September 1993), but he did not leave the bench in either match

Photo from: Guerin Sportivo, October 14-20, 1992

(Maurizio Ganz with Atalanta)

3- Sean Dundee

Sean Dundee was a South African born striker who starred for Karlsruhe (1995/98).

During the 1996/97 season, there was public clamor to select him for the German national Team.

He obtained German citizenship in 1997 in the hopes of playing in the following year’s World Cup.

However, despite an appearance with Germany’s ‘B’ National team, he was never selected for the full national team.

Photo from: World Soccer, February 1997

(Sean Dundee with Karlruhe, 1996/97)

4- ‘Celso’ Dias dos Santos

Celso was a Brazilian defender from the 1980s who was overlooked by the National team selectors.

He joined Portugal’s Porto in 1985 and was a key player when they won the Champions Cup in 1987.

Despite his success aboard he was never called up.

Photo from: Onze, Issue 134, February 1987

(Celso with Porto, 1986/87)

5- Roberto Carlos Sosa

Roberto Carlos Sosa was an Argentinean striker whose best opportunity for a call up would have been in the late 90s during his successful spell at Italian Serie A club Udinese.

However, Marcelo Bielsa never selected him as Argentina was well covered with strikers such as Batistuta, Crespo, Cruz and others.

Photo from: Sport Bild, Issue 37, September 9, 1998

(Roberto Carlos Sosa with Udinese, 1998/99)