Manchester United will be well represented at the 2026 World Cup. Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Matheus Cunha, Marcus Rashford and eight others will carry their club’s badge into a global tournament. Twelve players across four continents. By most measures, it’s a healthy showing.
But the absences are harder to ignore.
Harry Maguire will not be going either. Neither will Luke Shaw, even after both had fairly solid seasons for their clubs under Thomas Tuchel. England’s squad is competitive and deep, but being left out of a World Cup by your own national team sends a message that no amount of club form fully softens. For Maguire especially, a guy who has spent years trying to rebuild his reputation, the omission must sting.
Andre Onana is absent too, though Cameroon not qualifying means he never really had a say in it anyway. Leny Yoro did not make it into the France squad either, which shows how fast the door can shut on young players after an injury-hit debut season and a reminder of how quickly the window can close on young players who lose momentum. Matthijs de Ligt, meanwhile, finds himself on the outside looking in at the Netherlands.
Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu miss out as well, for different reasons. That adds more United names to the list of players spending the summer on the couch instead of on the pitch.
Manchester United World Cup 2026 Call-Ups:
Goalkeepers: Senne Lammens (Belgium), Altay Bayındır (Turkey)
Defenders: Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco), Lisandro Martinez (Argentina), Diogo Dalot (Portugal)
Midfielders: Manuel Ugarte (Uruguay), Bruno Fernandes (Portugal), Kobbie Mainoo (England), Tyler Fletcher (Scotland)
Forwards: Matheus Cunha (Brazil), Amad (Ivory Coast), Marcus Rashford (England)
