Best current footballer never to have played in an international tournament?

[Closed Account 2]

Huge discussion about this in the pub the other day during Russia v Spain.

Basically they have to be:

- Still playing and not publically retired from international football (e.g. not Giggs, Hartson)

- Not yet played in World Cup, Euros, Asia Cup, African Nations final tournament. We had an argument about the Copa America as technically you dont qualify for it, but in the end we decided it was ok.

- If they are available for selection but the coach didn't pick them thru injury or lack of form etc (e.g. Le Tissier at say Euro 96 or Stevie Carr at WC2002) then it doesn't count and they can't be considered.

Obviously a few years ago it would have been Shevchenko, Giggs etc...

But we were struggling to even make double figures

Vincent Kompany (BEL)
Goran Pandev (MKD)
Edgaras Jankauskas (LTH)
Eidur Gudjohnsen (ICE)
Julian de Guzman (CAN)
Zvjezdan Misimovic (BIH)
Marcelo Moreno (BOL) (the young guy who's just been signed by Shaktar)
Duwayne De Rosario (CAN)
Mario Frick (LIE)
Mikel Forssell (FIN)
Jari Litmanen (FIN)
Yossi Benayoun (ISR)
Lorik Cana (ALB)
Erjon Bogdani (ALB)
Alex Hleb (ARS)
Daniel Braaten (NOR)
Edgar Manucharyan (ARM)
Marek Hamsik (SVK)


I think both Marouane Chamakh and Tarik Sektioui played in the ANC earlier this year for Morocco as did Ziani for Algeria in 2004.

Of that I'd say Pandev or Hleb was the best, any thoughts ?

[superfrank]

Marcelinho, Brazilian midfielder, Bundesliga player of the year 2004/05, iirc.
Balasz Dzsudzsak, Hungarian player for PSV.
Samir Nasri, yet to play for France in the Euros.
David Healy, you can't argue with his international goalscoring record.
Robert Vittek, Slovakian striker.

Canada played in the North American Gold Cup last year, are you sure De Guzman and De Rosario didn't play?

[gustavo]

Kuno Aguero
Elano
Micah Richards

[Closed Account 2]

About Marcelinho, technically he could have been selected for Brazil in 2006 so I think that means he's excluded (like Le Tissier 96 and Carr 02).

Dzsudzsak is a good shout, as are compatriots Gera Zoltan and maybe Kirali Gabor (of grey Asda tracksuit bottom fame).

Healy's correct top scorer in the last set of qualifiers.

Nasri, although yet to play, has been a part of France's squad in this campaign, and even if he had been ommited would be a similar situation to Marcelinho.

On Vittek you're right, there is Marek Mintal too another Slovakian at Nurnburg.

Yeah the gold cup knocks out the two Canadians.

Mohammed Kallon of Ruwanda would be considered too.

[superfrank]

About Marcelinho, technically he could have been selected for Brazil in 2006 so I think that means he's excluded (like Le Tissier 96 and Carr 02).
I think he was in self-enforced exile for a number of years. AFAIK, he hasn't played for Brazil since 2001.

[stojkovic]

Best player in the World who'll never play in a major finals has to be.....

Stephen Ireland :)

[DmanDmythDledge]

From the players given in the first post I would have to say Jari Litmanen.

[Kildare Lad]

Gianfranco Zola? Did he ever play in a major tournament?

[gustavo]

He played in World Cup 94 and Euro 96 afair

[tetsujin1979]

Tomasz Radzinski? Fairly solid striker, outscored Rooney at Everton, still playing in the Greek league

[Kildare Lad]

Vidic? I dont think he played in the World Cup 2006 due to suspension and injury, but could be wrong.

[Closed Account 2]

^ named in squad (I think) but withdrew to injury during training (like Vucinic)

[NeilMcD]

I would give it to Hleb

[tetsujin1979]

Daniel Van Buyten? Solid defender in Germany, plays for Belgium

[Closed Account 2]

Think Danny Van B was at WC2002 with Belgium, wasnt he ?

[centre mid]

Mikel Arteta

[gustavo]

Pato
Raul Garcia
McGeady
Defoe
Diego

[tetsujin1979]

Think Danny Van B was at WC2002 with Belgium, wasnt he ?
He was, my mistake, thought he was too young to have played there, but he was 24 and played in every game for Belgium

[jmurphyc]

Bellamy
Barry Ferguson
Craig Gordon
Steffan Iverson?
John Arne Riise
Daniel Agger
Morten Gamst Pedersen
John Carew
Nicolas Bendtner

[Closed Account 2]

^ I think Carew, Iversen and Riise were all in the Euro 2000 squad of Norway ?

[NeilMcD]

Alan Hutton is a great right full l

[rambler14]

IMO it has to be Ryan Giggs, a great player who deserves to at least play a World Cup. Gary Speed is a great player too who's been unfortunate also a player like Mikel Arteta is unlucky that he's Spanish.
Hopefully Vidic gets a go on the big stage as he is truly World Class.

[anto1208]

I would think that there is plenty of players that have never got to a major tournament Artetta Baines Lesscot are 3 top players at Everton who have nt played in a major tournament then you have others like Hibbert and Osman Big Vic, Vaughan and thats just at one team.

[Metrostars]

Yeah the gold cup knocks out the two Canadians.



Canada along with Mexico and USA automatically qualified for the Gold Cup (kind of like Copa America).

David Suazo(Honduras), Nolberto Solano(Peru?), Ryan Nelson(NZ).

[deecay]

Tom Huddlestone,best player ive seen in a long time


IMO it has to be Ryan Giggs, a great player who deserves to at least play a World Cup. Gary Speed is a great player too who's been unfortunate also a player like Mikel Arteta is unlucky that he's Spanish.
Hopefully Vidic gets a go on the big stage as he is truly World Class.
We get it,you support corporate scum

[rambler14]

Tom Huddlestone,best player ive seen in a long time


Really????? Tom Huddlestone! Thats a strange one.

[Junior]

Loosely related, This months 4-4-2 has a "never played at a big tourament international 11" from past players

Includes Brady, Best and Shay Brennan from Ireland
Southall and Giggs from Wales
Madeley from England (Leeds fullback, refused to go to Mexico70 with Ramsey and England then never qualified for 74 or 78)

also included

Di Stefano
Weah (as mentioned above)
Ginola
Hulshoff (3 x european cup winner with Ajax - career ending injury)
Coelho (won lots of domestic honours in Portugal but only went to an international championship as manger in euro2000

[eekers]

this thread has wandered off from current into non current players and from best to that guy that plays for everton and is okay.

sergio 'kun' aguero wins it by a mile. he was arguably the best player in spain last season. i personally cant see much to seperate his ability from messi. the kid is a genius.

[Junior]

What about yer man Guti from Real Madrid? I know there appears to be mixed opinion on him as a player. I only follow la liga when I get chance on sky sports but he seems to have been mainstay in the Real midfield for a number of years now (joined in 1996 - 343 app as per wiki)

Only 14 caps for Spain though and non at an Intl tournament.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Mar%C3%ADa_Guti%C3%A9rrez#International_ career

[gustavo]

Yea that unknown Aguero who plays for that obscure Spanish team Atletico Madrid

[gilberto_eire]

I don't think he counts as such, he's only 20(3 weeks) and has'nt had the opportunity, he is an Argentinian international, so it's only a matter of time,

I don't think young players count, ones anyway that have'nt had the opportunity to play since there has'nt been a tournament on since they made there international debut

[stojkovic]

Yea that unknown Aguero who plays for that obscure Spanish team Atletico Madrid

Who they signed two years ago for a very obscure 20 million.

[Pauro 76]

Anyone mention Georgi Kinkladze? Berbatov surely as well...

[superfrank]

Berbatov played in Euro 2004.

[Pauro 76]

Ah yeah, so he did! :)