PARIS (AP) They are some of the biggest names in football but they won't be playing at the World Cup next year. Here is a look at five players whose absence will make the tournament in Brazil a poorer spectacle.
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ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC: There is no point watching the World Cup because Ibrahimovic won't be playing in it at least that's what he says. While the striker has always been his own biggest fan, he does have a point that the tournament will not be as exciting without him. The 32-year-old is in the best form of his career and has shown his full repertoire of spectacular goals: Martial arts-style volleys, overhead kicks from 30 meters out, dipping shots from all angles. In the last calendar year, he has 47 goals for Paris Saint-Germain and Sweden including four hat tricks. He has also set many up with his clever flicks.
GARETH BALE: The Wales winger will be hoping he doesn't follow in the footsteps of his illustrious countryman Ryan Giggs who won everything with Manchester United but never played in a World Cup. The 24-year-old Bale is starting to find his best form with Real Madrid following his world-record 100 million euro transfer from Tottenham this summer. Last season, he scored 21 league goals for Spurs, and his combination of power, searing pace, and an incredibly hard shot make him a nightmare to defend against. Defenders in Brazil will be thankful that they won't have to deal with him.
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI: The Borussia Dortmund striker burst onto the scene in last season's Champions League when he outshone Cristiano Ronaldo to score four goals against Real Madrid in the semifinals. The 25-year-old Pole has 63 goals in 110 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund and is widely recognized as one of the best forwards in Europe. But he is crying out for a chance to showcase his strength, close control and a poacher's instinct on the international stage. Unfortunately, Poland had such a tough qualifying group that it ended up finishing fourth behind England, Ukraine and Montenegro.
