Eight teams are still alive at the 2026 World Cup. And somewhere in the middle of their benches, a collection of very good players is getting splinters. Some of them are Premier League champions. Some just signed for Liverpool. At least one has a World Cup winners’ medal from 2018. But none of them have played a single minute in this tournament.
Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t make the cut here either. Thomas Tuchel apparently agrees with Declan Rice’s assessment that Mainoo isn’t the guy right now. So he’s not just riding the bench for England — he’s not even on the plane. That stings for a player who was supposed to be part of the long-term plan.
David Raya, Spain’s second-choice wall
David Raya is coming off a season where he won the Premier League with Arsenal and played in a Champions League final. By most measures, he’s among the best goalkeepers in the world right now. But Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has a problem: Unai Simón just set a World Cup record for consecutive minutes without conceding. So Raya sits. De la Fuente said it would be unfair not to value Raya’s quality and experience, but that’s the reality when your country’s No. 1 is on an all-time run. Raya’s last competitive minutes for Spain came in November 2024. That’s a long wait for someone this good.
Morocco’s bench has some stories too
Zakaria El Ouahdi was almost denied a US visa before the World Cup — reportedly because of his father’s beard, of all things. Somehow that got sorted, presumably after a phone call between Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino. But the Genk fullback hasn’t played yet. He’s stuck behind Achraf Hakimi, which is a tough break for anyone. Three senior caps with an Olympics bronze medal is decent, but this tournament hasn’t been his moment.
Trevoh Chalobah’s weird path to the World Cup
When Tino Livramento got hurt, England called up Trevoh Chalobah. Thomas Tuchel’s reasoning was a little unusual: Chalobah’s inclusion freed up Jarrell Quansah and Djed Spence to play fullback on both sides. So Chalobah is basically there for defensive coverage. If he gets on the field, he’d have to throw himself in front of everything like Dan Burn did to become a national treasure. That’s a high bar.
Belgium’s defense isn’t exactly the Kompany-Alderweireld-Vertonghen wall of the past. But Koni De Winter still can’t get on the field for the Red Devils. He’s 24, just finished his third full top-flight season, and moved to AC Milan for £20 million last summer as Malick Thiaw’s replacement. Milan then hired Ruben Amorim, who likes back threes. That might help De Winter’s chances. Or it might not.
Lucas Hernandez, from starter to spectator
Lucas Hernandez played all but 40 minutes of France’s 2018 World Cup win. Now he’s watching them try to repeat from the bench. He’s been through a lot: shared left-back duties with Lucas Digne and even Adrien Rabiot at Euro 2021, then played just 13 minutes across the next two tournaments thanks to separate knee surgeries. His brother Theo has started two games this World Cup. Lucas, forever on the PSG periphery, waits.
Liverpool fans want a glimpse of their new guy
Daniel Munoz is a natural left back who can play elsewhere. That versatility is part of why Liverpool triggered his £34.5 million release clause this summer. But anyone hoping to see their new signing in action has been disappointed so far. Munoz is 22 and unlucky enough to exist at the same time as Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Alex Baena. That’s a crowded Spain attack.
N’Golo Kanté’s strange tournament history
Didier Deschamps said Kanté would have an important role when he brought him back from international exile last November. Kanté had a rough few years: spent time in Saudi Arabia, returned to Europe with Fenerbahce, and worked his way back into the squad. But his tournament history is weird — mostly a sub at Euro 2016, essential in 2018, part of the Euro 2021 collapse, injured in 2022, and overrun by Spain’s midfield at Euro 2024. With Aurelien Tchouameni hurt and Manu Kone facing suspension, Kanté might actually see the field against Morocco in the quarterfinal.
Then there’s Warren Zaire-Emery, the 20-year-old who made 54 appearances and won five trophies for PSG last season. He can play anywhere, including right-back. He’s described being benched as frustrating. But Didier Deschamps has his favorites, and Zaire-Emery isn’t one of them. He was an unused sub at Euro 2024 too. At this rate, that Manchester United move everyone talks about might never happen.
Spain’s midfield surplus problem
Luis de la Fuente called Rodri the best player in the world in his position and Martin Zubimendi the second-best in the world in that position. That’s a nice compliment but it means Zubimendi — a Premier League champion in his first season — is stuck behind Rodri. He did come on at halftime in the Euro 2024 final to help Spain beat England. But this World Cup hasn’t given him a moment yet.
And then there’s Alejandro Grimaldo, who mostly plays attacking left-back now. He helped Bayer Leverkusen win the Bundesliga unbeaten, then moved to Atletico Madrid. Playing under Diego Simeone could teach him some defensive tricks. That might eventually push him past Marc Cucurella. But for now, he’s waiting too.
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