5 great players who never played at the World Cup

A football player's success is often weighed against his performance at club-level football. While winning trophies at club-level football is a massive achievement on its own, it's not until a player lifts silverware wearing the colours of his country that his career is considered complete.

We have seen generations of players trying hard (and even switching clubs) in a bid to participate in the World Cup, however, there is an unlucky few who lit up the continent with their fiery club-football form but never got a shot at playing in the biggest footballing tournament in the world.

Can you guess the name of these five great players who are considered legends at their clubs but could never bring the World Cup glory to their home country?

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#5 Ryan Giggs (Wales)

Nationality: Wales

Countries represented at the international level: Wales

International Caps: 64 (1991-2007)

International Goals: 12

International trophies won (with Wales): - 0

As of March 2018, having won more Premier League titles than the sum of the trophies won by the rest of the teams, Ryan Giggs is arguably the most successful player to have played in the Premier League.

A one-club man, Ryan Giggs spent his entire club-level career at Old Trafford, guiding them to 13 Premier League titles, 2 Champions League trophies, 4 FA Cup trophies amongst many others.

However, the talismanic speedy Welshman was never able to qualify for a major international championship with his native Wales. Wales last qualified for a World Cup in 1958 where they crashed out in quarter-finals to eventual champions Brazil.

Giggs made his international debut in an away match to Germany in October 1991, as a substitute. His last game for Wales was the Euro 2008 qualifier which he captained against the Czech Republic on 2 June. In his 16 years as Welsh player, Wales failed to qualify for both the World Cup and the European Championship.

#4 Eric Cantona (France)

Cantona's international career was replete with suspensions

Nationality: France

Countries represented at the international level: France

International Caps: 45 (1987-1995)

International Goals: 20

International trophies won (with France): 0

With four Premier League titles in five years and two League and FA Cup Doubles, it is no wonder he was fondly called 'King Cantona' by the United faithful. The arrival of Cantona changed fortunes for the Red Devils as he played a key role in the revival of Manchester United as a footballing force in the 1990s.

For all the laurels in his club career, Cantona had a wretched fortune when it came to representing his home country, France, at the World Cup.

Cantona was given his full international debut against West Germany in August 1987 by the then national team manager Henri Michel. In September 1988, after being dropped from the national team, an angry Cantona referred to Michel as a "bag of shit" in a post-match TV interview which led to his indefinite ban from all international matches.

However, shortly after, Michel was sacked having failed to lead France to qualify for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Four years later, under Gérard Houllier, once again France failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup after losing the final game 2–1 at home to Bulgaria.

In January 1995, Cantona was suspended for a kung-fu kick aimed at a Crystal Palace fan in United's match at Selhurst Park. By the time Cantona's suspension had been completed, he had lost his role as the team's playmaker to Zinédine Zidane. Angered by this, Cantona finally ended his international career with France on January 18, 1995, after a 1-0 victory over the Dutch.

#3 George Weah (Liberia)

The current President of Liberia tried everything in his hands to get his country qualified for the World Cup

Nationality: Liberia

Countries represented at the international level: Liberia

International Caps: 60 (N/A)

International Goals: 22

International trophies won (with Liberia): 0

King George as he is fondly called in Liberia, Weah has plied his trade for clubs in France, Italy, and England. Arsène Wenger was the first one to scout his talent from Europe and signed him for Monaco in 1988. Four years later, Weah moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 1992 where he won the domestic title in 1994 while also becoming the top scorer of the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League.

Weah then moved to Milan in 1995 where he spent four successful seasons, even winning two Serie A titles. Widely concurred by many as one of the greatest African players of all time, Weah was named as a FIFA World Player of the Year in 1995 and also won the Ballon d'Or, becoming the first and only African player to win these awards (as of 2018).

While he achieved innumerable success at the club level, Weah was not able to bring over the same success to his national team (also known as the Lone Star). As one of the smaller nations in world football, Weah did everything in his hands to support the national team: apart from being the team's star player, he also played the role of a coach later and even funded the Lone Star. Despite all his efforts, Liberia failed to qualify for any of the FIFA World Cup tournaments, agonizingly falling a point short of qualifying for the 2002 tournament.

#2 George Best (Northern Ireland)

Manchester United's stylish forward also couldn't participate in the World Cup.

Nationality: Northern Ireland

Countries represented at the international level: Northern Ireland

International Caps: 37 (1964-1977)

International Goals: 9

International trophies won (with Northern Ireland):

A part of the Manchester United's Holy Trinity, George Best was one of the biggest legends in the Matt Busby years of Manchester United. His playing style combined speed, skills, balance, two-footedness along with the ability to score goals and beat defenders. No wonder, he helped United to two First Division trophies (1964–65, 1966–67) and the European Cup in 1968. Best was subsequently named the European Footballer of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year.

While the Irish FA described him as the "greatest player to ever pull on the green shirt of Northern Ireland", Best could never participate in the biggest footballing event in the world. In his prime, Northern Ireland failed to qualify for 1966, 1970 and 1974 World Cup.

When Northern Ireland finally qualified for the World Cup in 1982, Best was duly considered by manager Billy Bingham. However at the age of 36, with his football skills waning due to age and alcoholism (adding to the fact that it had been over five years since he last wore the famous green jersey), Best was not selected for the Northern Ireland squad.

#1 Alfredo Di Stefano (Argentina and Spain)

The Real Madrid legend played for two countries at the international level.

Nationality: Argentina

Countries represented at the international level: Argentina, Spain

International Caps: Spain - 31 (1957-1961), Argentina - 6 (1947)

International Goals: Spain - 23 goals, Argentina - 6 goals

International trophies won: Argentina - Copa America.

The only player on this list to have represented two countries at the international level (he is also considered to have played for Colombian national team, but reports suggest it was not an internationally declared team), Di Stefano has been nothing short of a legend for Real Madrid. Winning 5 consecutive European Cups from 1955-1960 and scoring in all of them, he was instrumental in the club's domination of the European Champions' Cup and La Liga during the 1950s.

Internationally, the Blond Arrow (as he was fondly called) played with two different national teams during his career: he played six times with the Argentine national team, and 31 times with the Spanish national team, scoring 23 goals.

He also played four times with Colombia XI, a team which was formed by few best players of the Di Mayor league tournament, often mistaken for Colombian international matches (Colombia XI is not even recognized by FIFA).

The first World Cup tournament he would have played in was the 1950 tournament, but as Argentina decided against participating, a 24-year old di Stefano missed his very first chance of participating in the World Cup.

Four years later, again Argentina chose not to participate in the 1954 World Cup. In 1956, owing to requests from Real Madrid for fielding an international player, Di Stéfano acquired Spanish citizenship and made his debut for the Spanish national team on 30 January 1957 in a friendly in Madrid, scoring a hat-trick in a 5–1 win.

However, a year later, Spain failed to qualify for the 1958 World Cup. In 1961, Di Stéfano (now, 36) having already won 5 European Cups with Real Madrid, helped Spain to qualify for the World Cup of 1962. But unfortunately, a muscular injury right before the competition prevented him from participating. With age catching up to him, Di Stefano finally hung up his boots and is arguably the greatest player ever to never play in the world cup.