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Which team makes you feel the most "heartbreaking regret"? -- A review of the teams that failed to appear in this World Cup

1. Italy -- Three consecutive absences, this is no longer an accident, but a tragedy

Italy's absence is the biggest regret of this World Cup, without a doubt.

In 2022, they missed out on Qatar; in 2026, they fell again in the qualifiers -- the European champion missing two consecutive World Cups. Who would have believed this ten years ago? After Mancini left, Spalletti couldn't lead this transitional Azzurri squad out of the quagmire. In the playoffs, they were suffocated by Sweden's bus-parking strategy, with zero goals over 180 minutes in two legs. The chronic problem of a weak attack finally cost Italy.

Barella, Tonali, Chiesa -- these prime-age players are in their prime years, yet they can only watch the World Cup at home. The winter of Italian football is not over yet.

2. Denmark -- The last page of the Nordic fairy tale, torn apart by reality

Denmark reached the semifinals of Euro 2021, and Eriksen's cardiac arrest moved the world. That Danish team almost became everyone's second-favorite team. But in the 2026 qualifiers, Denmark's luck ran out.

Højlund's struggling form at Manchester United carried over to the national team, Eriksen got a year older, the entire defense lacked speed, and they were jointly eliminated by Scotland and Norway. Eriksen's World Cup farewell was etched in the winter of Qatar 2022.

3. Ukraine -- Football amid war, no miracle arrived

Ukraine's elimination is the most heartbreaking story outside of football.

The entire team had no home ground; all matches were played on neutral turf. The players were far from home, with their families still in the war. Even so, Ukraine, led by Zinchenko, Mudryk, and Dovbyk, fought all the way to the final round of the playoffs, just one step away from the World Cup. But fate did not favor them -- in the playoff final, Ukraine fell in a penalty shootout. The image of Mudryk kneeling and crying after missing a crucial penalty pierced every fan.

Football should not have war, but war destroyed football.

4. Chile -- The final chapter of the golden generation, no encore

Vidal, Sánchez, Medel, Bravo... The golden generation of Chile once defeated Argentina to win two consecutive Copa Américas, and in the 2014 World Cup they drew with Brazil and lost on penalties. But in 2026, amid the brutal grind of the South American qualifiers, Chile couldn't hold on.

Sánchez and Vidal dragged their aging legs and ran desperately, but the 37-year-old Sánchez could no longer run at his former speed, and the 36-year-old Vidal couldn't withstand the impact of younger players. Chile finished 8th in the South American standings, far from even the playoff spot. The golden generation's farewell had no applause, only a sigh.

5. Cameroon and Nigeria -- The African Lions and Eagles, both grounded

The African qualifiers have always been brutal, but the simultaneous absence of Cameroon and Nigeria is a seismic shock for African football.

Cameroon was defeated by a last-minute goal from Ivory Coast in the final stage of the qualifiers. Onana shuttled between club and national team, his form fluctuating, and a fatal mistake in the final match completely sank the team. As for Nigeria's Osimhen, valued at over €100 million, he couldn't even reach the playoffs due to the overall weakness of the national team. The African Footballer of the Year had to watch the World Cup at home.

6. China -- The football dream of 1.4 billion people, shattered again before dawn

When you mention China, this regret is the heaviest and the most silent. ‌1.4 billion people, the world's second-largest economy, yet they can never break through the door to the World Cup.‌ The only appearance in 2002 remains the only one. In 2026, the Asian region had 8.5 spots, the most generous in history, but China still failed to finish in the top eight in the final round of 18. The youth training system is weak, the league bubble has burst, controversies over naturalized players continue -- every failure of Chinese football is like a mirror reflecting the deep-rooted problems of the entire system. When the World Cup expanded to 48 teams, when Asia had 8.5 spots, and still no China, this regret has gone from heartbreak to numbness.