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Euro 2016: Who are the best players who will not be at this summer's tournament?

A number of high-profile names will be sat on the sofa while all the fun's being had in France this summer

Thursday 26 May 2016 15:32 BST

The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

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1/18The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Marco Reus (Germany/Borussia Dortmund)

Germany coach Joachim Low explained why the midfield sensation wasn't included in his squad: 'Marco has serious health problems. At the moment, he can only run in a straight line. The doctors are sceptical that he will be fully fit in the coming weeks'. The midfielder also missed the 2014 World Cup through injury

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Raphael Varane (France/Real Madrid)

After picking up a thigh injury in training and being ruled out of the Champions League final, Varane’s woes have been compounded by the injury ruling him out of the the Euro’s.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Santi Cazorla (Spain/Arsenal)

After playing a pivotal role in Arsenal’s impressive start of the season, Cazorla was on the sidelines for 5 months with a knee injury. His return to action proved unable to convince Del Bosque to include him in Spain’s final squad.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Juan Mata (Spain/Manchester United)

Mata was one of United’s more consistent players this season scoring 6 goals and getting 5 assists. However, Mata, a scorer in the Euro 2012 final, will not join up with a Spain squad nearly inundated with creative central midfielders.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Christian Eriksen (Denmark/Tottenham)

A star in Spurs’ ascendency up the Premier League, Erikson and Denmark missed out on Euro qualification after coming up short in the playoff round to an Ibrahimovic-inspired Sweden.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Danny Drinkwater (England/Leicester)

After a wonderful season for the eventual champions the midfielder made a strong claim for inclusion

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Andros Townsend (England/Newcastle)

Has scored some crucial goals for England and always impressed for the national team. However a largely disappointing season, albeit with a late flourish of form for Newcastle, cost him his place

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Danny Welbeck (England/Arsenal)

A stunning last-ditch goal against Leicester on Valentines Day marked Welbeck’s return from nearly a year on the treatment table. After a few goals and some impressive performances marking his return, his injury against Man City will have shook the player as well as ruling him out for the rest of the year.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Herinkh Mkhitaryan (Armenia/Dortmund)

Dortmund’s impressive resurgence brought with it a new star in Mkhitaryan. Now linked to Europe’s giants, the Armenian won’t have a chance to shine in France after finishing last, and winless, in their qualifying group.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Arjen Robben (Holland/Bayern Munich)

Holland’s failure to qualify for Euro 2016 will be felt no harder than by Arjen Robben. Now 32, time is not on his side, and with promising Dutch players in Quincy Promes, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Jeremain Lens, all vying for Robben’s place on the wing, we might not see him starting in Russia should Holland qualify.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Miralem Pjanić (Bosnia Herzegovina/Roma)

After another impressive season with Roma, Pjanić will be disappointed in his nations inability to overturn Wales and qualify for France. However, his nation’s failures may prove beneficial for the midfielder, as participation in the continent’s showpiece might’ve stalled a potential transfer. Roma’s star man has been linked with a big-money move to Chelsea.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Vincent Kompany (Belgium/Manchester City)

Plagued by injuries this past season, Kompany will be gutted to miss out on what many see as Belgium’s golden opportunity to compete for the trophy. The inclusion of former Man City player Dedryck Boyata to cover for Kompany, won’t comfort many Belgian fans.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Marco Verratti (Italy/PSG)

Verratti endured a frustrating season as a consistent groin injury plagued him this past season. His season as well as his Euro hopes, were ended by surgery. Conte admitted his frustration with Verratti’s injury as it deals a harsh blow to Italy’s tournament chances. PSG hope that he’ll be ready for the start of next season.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Kurt Zouma (France/Chelsea)

After establishing himself as the first-choice centre-back alongside JT, Zouma suffered a horrific knee injury during a match against Man United. The strong, and surprisingly pacey, defender might prove a big loss to France.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Ilkay Gundogan (Germany/Dortmund)

Having missed out on Germany’s successful World Cup campaign, Gundogan has now been ruled out of the Euro’s after dislocating his kneecap. This latest injury setback has come on the back of a good season with Dortmund, where he started 22 games.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Aymeric Laporte (France/Athletic Bilbao)

Laporte joins the lengthening list of injured French centre-backs. Didier Deschamps will be hoping that Mangala manages to overcome his struggles in the premiership to form a strong partnership with Laurent Koscielny. Laporte broke his leg and twisted his ankle earlier this year while playing for Frances U21 team in a match against Scotland.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Claudio Marchisio (Italy/Juventus)

Conte’s central-defensive midfield woes were compounded by Marchisio’s season ending injury. A fine passer of the ball, and the engine in the heart of Juventus’ formidable midfield, Marchisio ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in a match against Palermo, ruling him out for six months.

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The best players who won't be at Euro 2016

Alan Dzagoev (Russia/CSKA Moskva)

With a lightning turn of pace and an ability to double-up as a winger and a centre-defensive mid, Dzagoev’s absence might prove fatal to Russia’s hopes of navigating a tricky group alongside England, Wales, and Slovenia. Dzagoev broke his foot in CSKA’s last match of the season where they managed to clinch the Russian League title.

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The European Championships are supposed to offer us all the opportunity to see the continent’s best footballers come up against each other. Often, they do.

There are always, however, some talented individuals who miss out – either through injury, suspension, retirement or simply because their country has not qualified.

For this summer’s tournament in France, the situation is no different. While the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba and Jamie Vardy compete for the Henri Delaunay Trophy, other high-profile names will be sat on the sofa.

Even if this is one of the most memorable Euros in recent history, we may regret that Arjen Robben, Ilkay Gundogan, Marco Verratti and more did not play a part.

Take a look at the gallery above to see who will be missing this summer.

Do you agree with our inclusions? Is there anyone we missed out on?

Let us know in the comments below...

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