5 Premier League stars who won't be featuring in the 2018 World Cup

#4 Luis Antonio Valencia

Valencia may have missed his last chance to appear in a World Cup

Club: Manchester United | Country: Ecuador | Caps: 92 | Goals: 10

The versatile Valencia would have been left devastated after Ecuador missed out on the playoff position and a tie against New Zealand by only six points, in what was probably his last chance to make another appearance at the World Cup Finals. It could’ve been so different if their home form finished as it began, but ultimately losing their last three home qualifiers, conceding seven goals in the process, is what made all the difference.

Valencia, who captains the South American side, would have had a point to prove if they had managed to get to Russia after being sent off on his last appearance at the World Cup Finals, a straight red card against France in Brazil three years ago.

It could be argued that the red card, which came in the early stages of the second half in the final group game, made all the difference to Ecuador’s chances of making the knockout stages of the competition as the game then fizzled out to a goalless draw and it was a game that they needed to win to stand any chance at all of making the last 16.

With the Copa America not until 2019, Valencia, 32, will be hoping he can maintain his fitness levels so he can have another chance of lifting some silverware on the International stage as he has won everything possible in England. The only domestic trophy he is missing from his cabinet is the Champions League and with Man United all but qualified for the knockout stages this season, there’s every possibility he may be ticking that off his ‘to-do list’.