The dream is over for Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eduardo Camavinga, Phil Foden, Dean Huijsen, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer. Or is it? The aforementioned superstars had long fantasised about lifting the FIFA World Cup™ trophy at New York New Jersey Stadium, but were surprisingly omitted from their nations' 26-player squads for the tournament. That does not categorically mean they can’t. FIFA looks at the six men who missed out on their teams’ final squads for a global finals but, by twists of fate, ended them as world champions.
Aldair and Marcio Santos may have formed arguably the greatest centre-back pairing in Seleção history, but they were both way down the pecking order in the run-up to the 15th World Cup. The former didn’t even make Carlos Alberto Parreira’s 22-man squad, named six weeks before Brazil’s curtain-raiser against Russia. When the team doctors controversially ruled out Mozer – against his wishes – a couple of weeks later, Aldair was called up.
Three days before Oprah Winfrey emceed a spectacular opening ceremony, a thigh injury ruled out Ricardo Gomes, who was set to start, and Ronaldao was summoned to California. Parreira justified the shock decision due to the fact the 28-year-old had been playing regular football for Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan while it was the off-season for several positional rivals.
Ricardo Rocha then limped off against Russia. Aldair went on in his place and played every minute of every game thereafter – and a big role in Brazil seizing a fourth star. “I dreamed about the World Cup constantly,” said Aldair. “When I didn’t make the squad, it was like being hit by a rock. It was the most devastating feeling. “Naturally I’d lost all hope. A journalist called me to say I’d been called up to replace Mozer, but I hung up. I didn’t believe it! To get the chance, then to play and become a world champion, was indescribable. Perhaps it was even better that way than if I’d made the initial squad.” Ronaldao didn’t see any action in the States, but he went home with a gold medal – and relieved he’d finally escaped 17-year-old room-mate Ronaldo’s snoring!
One day before the Seleção kicked off their campaign in Ulsan, captain Emerson, mucking about in goal during a kickabout, dislocated his shoulder saving a Rivaldo shot. Ricardinho, on holiday in Curitiba, 19,000 kilometres away, heard there was a chance the Brazil captain may be sent home. Having never been called up by Luiz Felipe Scolari, however, he figured he had “zero chance” of earning an invite, so turned his phone off and went to mass. Fortunately, his wife Juliana had “believed in the miracle”, turned the phone back on, answered it, and told CBF chief Americo Faria her husband would be on the first route out once he returned from church. Via Sao Paulo, USA and the Brazilian consulate in Japan – he was given special permission to renew his expired passport there! – Ricardinho finally made it to Korea Republic. “It took a while for the call-up to sink in,” Ricardinho told FIFA. “I was taken aback at first and then the adrenalin started to pump and I began to think about it. It was a special moment, no question. It was a huge surprise, but a special moment.” The midfielder went on to make three appearances from the bench as Brazil triumphed. The other beneficiary of Emerson’s torment was Cafu, who went on to lift the trophy in Yokohama.
Ecstasy turned to agony and back to ecstasy in a mad month for the Sampdoria centre-back. Despite being uncapped, Mustafi was named in Joaquim Low’s 27-man provisional squad – Mario Gomez and Ilkay Gundogan were overlooked following injury-plagued campaigns – on 8 May. On 2 June, a thigh problem having already sent Lars Bender home, Shkodran Mustafi, Marcel Schmelzer and Kevin Volland were cut as Germany coach submitted his final 23 players. Five days later, Marco Reus, who was expected to start in Brazil, tore his ankle ligaments. Despite only having one striker in his squad – the ageing Miroslav Klose – Low turned to Mustafi, who went on to play three games in Brazil, including at right-back in the edging of Algeria in the last 16.
After the extra-time win over Argentina in the final, Mustafi paraded a Germany jersey with ‘Reus 21’ on the back around the Maracana. “I was shocked to get the call-up,” explained Mustafi. “I think I was on auto-pilot. I went home, packed a suitcase and was off to the World Cup. “Winning the World Cup is a feeling beyond words. I didn’t want to forget Marco, who really deserved to be there, though.”
Facundo Medina and Correa were the casualties as Lionel Scaloni turned his 28-player provisional squad into a 26-man final one on 11 November. Six days later, a muscle problem chopped Nico Gonzalez and the Argentina selector called in Atletico Madrid winger Correa. When Joaquim Correa fell victim to injury the following day, Atlanta United playmaker Almada, who hadn’t even made Scaloni’s provisional roster, got the nod over the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Giovanni Simeone. “I cried when I got the call,” said Almada. “Then I told my family and they cried. I’d given my dad tickets to the World Cup for Father’s Day, and now I was going to play in it! I didn’t have too long to cry, though, as I had a plane to catch that night.”
Correa and Almada went on to make one substitute appearance apiece as Lionel Messi, at his fifth attempt, finally conquered football’s most prestigious prize.
Sources: FIFA Official
