The Best Players to never appear in a World Cup, Part Ten

1- Bernd Schuster

Controversial West German playmaker Bend Schuster has gone done in History as one of the greatest players never to represent West Germany in a World Cup (potentially 1982, 1986 and 1990). In his case, it was mostly of his own doing as he feuded with the Hierarchy throughout his career.

Photo From: Fussball Magazin, Issue 2, March April 1981

(Bend Schuster)

2- Mark Hughes

Just like his Welsh contemporaries (Ian Rush, Dean Saunders, etc), Mark Hughes was part of a Generation (80s-90s) that did not qualify for the Finals of any Tournament.

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 35, December 1991

(Mark Hughes)

3- Julio Cesar Dely Valdes

Panamanian striker was a rare player from his Nation to make t in Europe and had a successful spell in Italy with Cagliari (1993/96), followed by a spell afterwards at Paris St. Germain. Unfortunately, for him his Nation did not qualify for any Finals of a Tournament during his career.

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 79, August 1995

(Julio Cesar Dely Valdes)

4- Gianluigi Lentini

Italian midfielder Gianluigi Lentini was for a time the most expensive transfer in History when he joined AC Milan in 1992 from Torino. The future looked bright with the 1994 World Cup just on the horizon. However, a life threatening car accident in the summer of 1993 derailed his career and even after returning from injury he was not the same player and missed out on the 1994 World Cup.

Photo From: World Soccer, January 1993

(Gianluigi Lentini)

5- Costica Stefanescu

Romanian defender Costica Stefanescu was a mainstay of Universitatea Craiova and the Romanian National Team in the 1970s and 80s. However, his career ended just before the Gheorge Hagi inspired generation of the 90s. As a result he missed out on the 1982 and 1986 World Cups that Romania did not qualify.

Photo From: Mondial, New Series, Hors Serie 19, 1984

(Costica Stefanescu)

Honorable Mention:

Players who participated in a World Cup match but their presence was limited and negligible that would be considered tantamount to a non-presence.

Gianfranco Zola

One of the most talented players of his Generation, Gianfranco Zola had the misfortune of being Roberto Baggio in the pecking order for the 1994 World Cup. When he did finally get his chance in the Tournament, he was sent off within 12 minutes after coming on after a foul on Augustine Eguavoen (July 5, 1994, Italy 2-Nigeria 1). He was suspended for the rest of the Tournament and just missed out on the 1998 final cut.

Photo From: The Game, Issue 3, June 1995

(Gianfranco Zola after his sending off, July 5, 1994, World Cup, Italy 2-Nigeria 1)

Player Profiles-Part 36

Twelve profiles and two Interviews on 1950s and 60s Brazilian star Didi

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, November 1962/ English By Jorge Rivera)

(Magazine / Language : France Football, Issue 1217, July 29, 1969 / French) 

(Magazine / Language : France Football, Issue 1221, August 26, 1969 / French By Alain Fontan) 

(Magazine / Language : France Football, Issue 1223, September 9, 1969 / French By Alain Fontan) 

(Magazine / Language : Placar, Issue 9, May 15, 1970 / Portuguese)

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, May 1970 / English By Eric Weil)

(Magazine / Language : Placar, Issue 14, June 19, 1970 / Portuguese)

(Magazine / Language : Placar, Issue 31, October 16, 1970 / Portuguese)

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, November 1970 / English By Eric Weil)

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, July 1973 / English By Gregory Tesser)

(Magazine / Language : AS Color, Issue 242, January 6, 1976 / Spanish)

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, February 1983  / English By David Batty)

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, March 1999 / English)

(Magazine / Language : Calcio 2000, Issue 18, April 1999 / Italian)

Photo From: L’Equipe Magazine, May 9, 1998

(Didi)

Didi Profiles

Eight profiles and two Interviews with 1970s and 80s Italy and Juventus defender Antonio Cabrini

(Magazine / Language : Onze, Issue 36, December 1978 / French By R. Nataf) 

(Magazine / Language : Mondial, old series, issue 28, March 1979 / French) 

(Magazine / Language : Mondial, old series, Hors-Serie, Issue 5, 1979 / French) 

(Magazine / Language : Mondial, old series, Hors-Serie, Issue 7, 1979 / French) 

(Magazine / Language : Mondial, New series, issue 4, July 1980 / French By Serge D. Mairet) 

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, April 1986 / English By Duncan Shaw)

(Magazine / Language : Guerin Sportivo, November 18-24, 1987 / Italian By Paolo Facchinetti)

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, March 1991 / English By Paddy Agnew)

(Magazine / Language : Onze-Mondial, Issue 29, June 1991 / French) 

(Magazine / Language : Calcio 2000, Issue 17, March 1999 / Italian)

Photo From: Onze, Issue 113, May 1985

(Antonio Cabrini at Juventus, 1984/85)

Antonio Cabrini Profiles

Four profiles with 1970s and 80s Dutch midfielder Pierre Vermeulen

(Magazine / Language : Voetbal International, August 23-28, 1982 / Dutch)

(Magazine / Language : Voetbal International, Issue 29, July 20, 1985 / Dutch By Johann Derksen)

(Magazine / Language : Onze, Issue 119, November 1985 / French By Thierry Roland) 

(Magazine / Language : Mondial, new series, issue 95,  February 1988 / French By Jean-Francois Bouilly) 

Photo From: Voetbal International, August 23-28, 1982

(Pierre Vermeulen at Feyenoord)

Pierre Vermeulen Profiles

Six profiles and two Interviews on Italy’s Gianfranco Zola

(Magazine / Language : Onze-Mondial, Issue 35, December 1991 / French) 

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, April 1993 / English By Ray Della Pietra)

(Magazine / Language : The Game, Issue 3, June 1995 / English)

(Magazine / Language : The Game, Issue 5, August 1995 / English)

(Magazine / Language : Onze-Mondial, Issue 85, February 1996 / French By Thierry Hubac and Alain Gaddofre) 

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, July 1996 / English)

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, October 1999 / English By Chris Hatherall)

(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, December 2008 / English By Gavin Hamilton)

Photo From: World Soccer, April 1993

(Gianfranco Zola at Napoli, 1992/93)

Gianfranco Zola Profiles