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The 2018 Russia World Cup begins in under a month and many national team managers have already named their 23-man squads. Many controversial and hard decisions have been made by the managers, leaving many players despondent.
A mixture of top professionals has been left out due to various reasons. Whether its inconsistency, lack of playing time, injuries managers have made difficult decisions.
A number of top strikers have not been called up to their national team squads and here we look at the top 5 strikers who won't be going to Russia.
#5 David Villa
The Spanish record goalscoring striker, David Villa, currently at New York City FC is still going strong and keen to represent his club and country. The Spanish striker won the MLS MVP award in 2016 displaying some amazing performances. The former World Cup winner scored 23 goals in 33 regular-season outings that season.
Villa was picked in the Spanish national squad and had an outside chance of getting a call-up, but it remains a long-shot. The veteran striker will face an uphill battle to make the squad given the number of attacking options the manager has to select from. The 36-year-old player has scored 5 goals in 9 appearances in all competitions this season in the MLS.
The striker is two short of reaching 100 caps for his national side. The veteran striker is a multiple time La Liga winner, Villa has also won the 2010 WC and the Euro 2008 trophy with Spain.
#4 Jermain Defoe
Premier League veteran Jermain Defoe has built and earned a fierce reputation over the years for being a clinical finisher. However, since Defoe moved to Bournemouth at the start of the season, the number of goals and appearances made by the veteran striker has substantially reduced partly due to injury and form.
It took the striker a while to adapt to his new surroundings but lacked the game-time and impact during the course of the league. Plagued with injury, Defoe missed his chance to represent his club and make a push for the squad.
The England international made his debut for England in 2004 and he will miss out on what could be his last chance at a World Cup. Defoe represented England in 2006 and 10 editions of the tournament.
#3 Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial has not been included in France's World Cup squad. The Manchester United player has not been playing consistently for his club under Mourinho. The Frenchman has been overlooked by Didier Deschamps and will be devastated on missing out on a spot.
His poor form in the second half of the season could have been a major factor in the player not making the squad. Martial has scored just 9 goals in the league this season along with 6 assists to his name. In what would have been a hard choice for the manager with the wealth of talent at his disposal, Deschamps has made some bold choices. Martial has not been influential enough for his club and hasn't shown Deschamps enough quality to be chosen.
This decision could affect Martial's stay at United although the player will need to improve his displays and cement a spot in the team next season.
#2 Alexandre Lacazette
Alexandre Lacazette has missed out on a place in France's national team squad for the World Cup. The player has been excluded based on his form and inconsistency and will be angry with the decision.
Having made 16 appearances for France and scored only 3 goals, his international tally is not great and could have certainly influenced Deschamps' decision making progress. With 14 goals and 5 assists in the league, Lacazette has been far from impressive during his first season at Arsenal.
His poor interplay and physical ability have been exposed in the Premier League's surroundings and it will be a harsh lesson for the player who hasn't yet adapted to his new surroundings. A talented player, Lacazette might rue the timing of his summer move to Arsenal but has to play better to earn his place.
#1 Karim Benzema
Frenchman Karim Benzema will be not be going to the World Cup with Didier Deschamps squad. The Real Madrid striker has not been in the national team since his involvement in a sex scandal that involved former teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
Deschamps opted not to select the Frenchman for Euro 2016 and lost the final at home to Portugal. Eager to get back to playing for France, Benzema knows there is nothing he could do about the decision and misses out on another major competition with France.
A fantastic finisher and footballer, Benzema is France's leading striker and missed out on the spot due to past unresolved problems with the national team and its manager. Benzema has been a crucial and integral part of the Madrid setup for years and been highly successful.
A host of former French players had backed the player to be selected and included in France's contingent, but it was not to be. In great form for his club, Benzema along with a number of Madrid players are in line to lift their third consecutive Champions League trophy.
