5 Big Players You Won’t Be Seeing at the FIFA Club World Cup

FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup is finally here, bringing elite clubs from around the world to the United States and putting a jaw-dropping one billion dollars in prize money on the line. 

But even with all the hype and high stakes, the tournament is missing some of football’s biggest names. Whether due to injuries, missed qualifications, or simply bad timing, several top stars won’t be making the trip. Here are five of the biggest names sitting this one out:

Mohamed Salah – Liverpool

You’d think the Premier League’s top-performing attacker would be front and center at a tournament like this. But despite Liverpool’s strong season, they didn’t qualify for the Club World Cup, leaving Egyptian icon Mo Salah at home.

Salah ended the campaign with an incredible 29 goals and 18 assists in the league, but after a long, exhausting season, he doesn’t seem too bothered. In fact, he’s already been spotted soaking up the sun by the beach.

Still, it’s a big miss for fans hoping to see Salah and his Liverpool teammates potentially go head-to-head with Champions League heavyweights like PSG.

Lamine Yamal – Barcelona

Lamine Yamal has been one of the most exciting young players in world football this season. At just 17, the Barcelona winger has dazzled with his fearless dribbling and highlight-reel goals, earning early comparisons to Lionel Messi.

Unfortunately, Barcelona didn’t make the cut either, meaning fans won’t get to see a possible Messi-Yamal faceoff, a dream clash between the past and future of Barça.

Alongside Yamal, the absences of players like Pedri, Lewandowski, and Raphinha only add to what feels like a star-shaped hole in the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo – Al Nassr

Messi might be at the Club World Cup with Inter Miami, but the other half of football’s iconic rivalry won’t be. Cristiano Ronaldo won’t feature, even after rumors swirled that he might join a participating team just for the tournament.

The 40-year-old striker, now playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, shut down the speculation himself. “Some teams reached out,” he admitted after Portugal’s Nations League win, “but you can’t catch every ball.”

With Ronaldo sitting this one out, fans miss out on another Messi vs. Ronaldo showdown perhaps one of the last opportunities for that legendary duel.

Bukayo Saka – Arsenal

After pushing hard in the Champions League and the Premier League, Arsenal’s young star Bukayo Saka won’t be heading to the Club World Cup either. The North London club fell just short of qualifying.

Saka’s performances have been consistent and mature beyond his years, but he’s still waiting to add more trophies to his name. The Club World Cup could’ve offered that chance, and a big one at that.

It’s a tough pill to swallow for Arsenal fans, who’ve watched their team grow into serious contenders, only to miss out on this global stage.

Neymar – Santos

After a difficult spell with injuries at Al-Hilal, Neymar returned to Brazil to rejoin Santos in early 2025. But even back home, the former PSG star hasn’t returned to full form, and he’ll be missing from the Club World Cup lineup.

At 33, Neymar may not be the force he once was, but his name still pulls crowds, headlines, and sponsors. His absence is not just felt on the pitch, but also in the tournament’s marketing especially at a time when ticket sales could use a boost.

As Casemiro put it: “For me, Neymar is up there with Cristiano and Messi.” And it’s hard to disagree.