FIFA World Cup 2018: Top 5 players to miss out in Portugal's 23-man squad

Several big names from Portugal have been chopped from the World Cup squad
Several big names have been chopped from the World Cup squad

#2 Nani (Lazio)

A move to Lazio hasn't resurrected Nani's faltering career
A move to Lazio hasn't resurrected Nani's faltering career

Nani has found the going to be tough since the conclusion of Euro 2016. A fine season with Fenerbahce earned him a move to Valencia where he was way below his best. Recurring injuries and limited first-team opportunities culminated in a loan move to Lazio last summer, and things went from bad to worse.

He doesn't seem to fit anywhere in Simone Inzaghi's preferred 3-5-1-1 formation, and has started just 2 games all season! But he has scored and assisted thrice each - not so bad figures considering he also picked up injuries on 7 different occasions in this season alone!

But, it may have fallen short of impressing the Portuguese gaffer, or maybe he didn't want to take a risk with his erratic health record. Either way, Nani has now missed his last chance to appear in a World Cup as he's already 31, and the emergence of younger talents will further trim his chances.

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