Every Real Madrid Player Not Going to the 2026 World Cup

Not all members of Real Madrid’s star-studded squad will make the trip to North America this summer.

Rodrygo won’t represent Brazil this summer. | Diego Souto/Getty Images

Many of this summer’s World Cup superstars will be residents of the Santiago Bernabéu.

Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham are among the names primed to dazzle in North America, the bulk of the triumvirate’s teammates also donning their national team jerseys during the expanded 48-team tournament.

However, not all members of Madrid’s squad will make the lengthy journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Some will be forced to watch from Spain’s capital after their countries failed to qualify, or simply because they couldn’t earn a place on the plane.

Here are the Madrid players not venturing to the 2026 World Cup.

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Every Real Madrid Player Not Playing at the 2026 World Cup

Andriy Lunin

Andriy Lunin won’t feature for Ukraine. | Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Somewhat surprisingly, Andriy Lunin is the only member of the Madrid senior squad whose country failed to qualify for the tournament. Ukraine could only make the European playoffs, succumbing to Sweden in the semifinal in a 3–1 defeat.

Viktor Gyökeres fired a hat trick past Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin in Valencia, Lunin missing from the Ukraine squad due to back pain. The Madrid stopper’s absence proved costly and he will now have the summer off instead of jetting to North America.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold

Trent Alexander-Arnold appears set to miss out. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

England qualified for the World Cup with ease, becoming the first European nation to reach the tournament, but Trent Alexander-Arnold’s position in Thomas Tuchel’s traveling party is not guaranteed. The German named a 35-man roster for the March international break, yet the Madrid right back was omitted entirely.

Alexander-Arnold’s absence was the source of surprise. The former Liverpool man still has time to prove himself to Tuchel before this summer’s roster is confirmed; however, based on current projections, the Englishman will miss out.

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Dani Carvajal

Dani Carvajal was crucial at Euro 2024. | Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Dani Carvajal’s career has been derailed by injuries since he triumphed with Spain at Euro 2024 and came fourth in that year’s Ballon d’Or vote, and his reduction in minutes could result in an omission from the Spain squad this summer.

The 34-year-old hasn’t been involved for La Roja since September 2025 and appears increasingly unlikely to feature as the club season draws to its conclusion. If he doesn’t make the cut, Carvajal will have already played his final World Cup.

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Rodrygo

Injury has ruined Rodrygo’s World Cup dream. | Guillermo Martinez/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Rodrygo would have been involved for Brazil at this summer’s tournament if not for a cruel injury blow. The fleet-footed winger tore his ACL during Madrid’s clash with Getafe in early March and won’t return until next season, a nine-month recovery time a rough estimate for such an ailment.

Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti would have loved to have his former Madrid prodigy available for his first tournament at the helm, but fortunately he still boasts an array of attacking options. That’s little consolation to Rodrygo, though.

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