These Players Need to be Worried About their 2026 World Cup Spots

Which Premier League Players Should Be Worried About Their World Cup Spots?

Where did January go? We all of a sudden find ourselves in February, and that can only mean one thing - we are just five months away from the opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 2025/26 season has seen plenty of surprise players throw their name into the gauntlet for consideration already – 16-goal Igor Thiago must be a shoe-in for the Brazil squad, Robert Sanchez has made a strong case for going to North America as Spain’s backup goalkeeper, and Englishman James Garner has been quietly but effectively going about his business for Everton, and is surprisingly the 10th highest-rated Premier League player (via Fotmob).

But what about those whose pre-World Cup campaigns are not going according to plan? Some of them would have been guaranteed a spot on the plane this time last year but, thanks to what has unfolded over the last six months or so, now see their place in the squad clouded in uncertainty.

So, which players need to act fast if they are to rescue their hopes and dreams of playing on the grandest stage of them all, and do they have enough time to change their fortunes?

Alejandro Garnacho (Arg), Chelsea

Garnacho’s move to Chelsea was a confusing one from the outset – it was clear that he had bags of potential, but between his lack of end product, diminutive build, and hugely inconsistent performances, he is not the type of player that, historically, Chelsea fans have got behind.

The 21-year-old has been far from a regular starter for Argentina in recent years, accumulating just 8 caps since he was given his first run-out in 2023, but at the start of the season, he was certainly seen as someone that Lionel Scaloni could take to the tournament as a game-changer off the bench.

🚨𝗡𝗘𝗪: Alejandro Garnacho is at risk of losing his World Cup spot. He got his chances. They tested him, they trained him, they even took him to the Copa América, but they believe he still hasn't responded the way he should.

— @gastonedul pic.twitter.com/Q1RcoxuHxV

— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) August 19, 2025

The left-winger’s return of six goals and three assists across all competitions seems perfectly respectable at first – they’re certainly not world-beating, but they are useful numbers that show he can produce in a side competing at the business end of domestic and continental competitions.

However, Garnacho has suffered a string of games where he has been virtually non-existent, either marked out of the game by the opposition or too loose with possession – it seems that whenever he tries to take on his opposing full-back, he loses possession, or else boots the ball into row Z with a wild effort at goal.

He has had a couple of standout performances – his double salvo off the bench against Arsenal being the most noteworthy – but he is clearly not a favourite of new manager Liam Rosenior and will have to do a lot more if he is to book himself a ticket to the States.

Randal Kolo-Muani (Fra), Tottenham Hotspur

Thrust into the spotlight three-and-a-half years ago for that miss against Argentina in the final, Kolo-Muani has struggled for club and country ever since, perhaps allowing that Emi Martinez save to affect his mentality – it would certainly keep me up at night.

In the four seasons that have elapsed since that moment, the striker has netted just 27 club goals across all competitions, spanning spells at Eintracht Frankfurt, PSG, Juventus, and now Tottenham Hotspur.

Randal Kolo Muani reflects on his miss in the World Cup final 😫😕 pic.twitter.com/XqIsDj026s

— LiveScore (@livescore) March 24, 2023

Clearly an exceptional talent on his day, Kolo-Muani’s pace combined with his tall, strong figure make him a daunting adversary for opposition backlines, and in the past, he has shown he can play at an extremely high level; 23 goals in 46 games in the 2022/23 campaign for Frankfurt highlighted this.

However, the 27-year-old hasn’t received any international minutes since June 2025, meaning he has failed to make the cut in three consecutive international breaks, and his form at Spurs is in no danger of changing the mind of France coach Didier Deschamps.

Three goals and three assists in 25 games for Spurs are not good enough to warrant a place on the plane, and though he did impress with a brace against reigning European champions and former club PSG, that performance alone is never going to punch his ticket.

Xavi Simons (Ned), Tottenham

Another Spurs player, we think it is unrealistic to say that Simons will actually be dropped from the Netherlands side for the World Cup – in a midfield largely absent of creative talent and flair players, the 22-year-old fills that gap perfectly.

But it is also safe to say that he hasn’t exactly hit the ground running at Spurs, and his five assists and two goals pale in comparison to the numbers he was putting up in the Bundesliga during his time at RB Leipzig.

XAVI SIMONS DOES IT ALL BY HIMSELF TO PUT NETHERLANDS IN FRONT OVER ENGLAND EARLY! 🥶 pic.twitter.com/RnRbJi4c2l

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 10, 2024

Sometimes brilliant and sometimes utterly confusing, Simons' unpredictability is usually a trait that keeps opponents on their toes at all times – now though, it is one that has him questioning whether he will make it to the Netherlands' first fixture against Japan on June 14th.

Simons has the ability to perform at major tournaments – as English fans, we witnessed that firsthand with his wonder goal against us in the Euro semi-finals – but his inability to string any sort of momentum together is more likely than not to hurt him when it is time for Ronald Koeman to pick his final squad.

Anthony Gordon (Eng), Newcastle

The left-wing position has been something of a bother for both Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel in recent years. With Marcus Rashford going through a spell of very poor form prior to Euro 2024, the duty to play wide was thrust upon Anthony Gordon, who is arguably the only other World Cup-level left winger in the England setup.

His ability to play on the left flank means that he is significantly less likely to be left out than in other areas of the squad, but his Premier League form is something of concern for Thomas Tuchel as he prepares to make his picks.

His finish against Liverpool at the weekend ended a streak of over a year without a Premier League goal from open play, and despite having a good record from the penalty spot, the number one thing you want from your winger in open play is a goal threat.

Anthony Gordon's goal against Liverpool was his first from open play in the Premier League in over a year 📈 pic.twitter.com/RbCg7YzHXw

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 31, 2026

Moreover, Gordon has been exposed for having something of a discipline issue - his reckless red card against Liverpool early in the season, followed by a lucky escape for a similar challenge against the same opponent last week, remind us that despite his already significant top-flight experience, he is still a very young player at 24 years old and has much maturing to do.

He does have 10 goals, six of which have come in the Champions League, and four assists in all competitions this season, a tally few other England widemen can boast, but his lack of influence in open play needs to change, as Tuchel is known for operating with direct widemen who can burst past defenders at any given moment. Overall though, less likely to miss out than the rest.

Levi Colwill (Eng), Chelsea

If Levi Colwill were to miss out on the England squad come June, it would not be his fault. Chelsea had an extremely congested fixture list last season, as they played every Conference League game and Club World Cup fixture to go alongside their domestic responsibilities. This game load took its toll, and in what was a very short pre-season, Colwill ruptured his ACL.

The most severe injury in football, Colwill is not expected back amongst the Chelsea squad until late April, and by then, it could well be too late to make a claim for a spot on the England plane.

🚨 BREAKING: Levi Colwill is out on the grass running again at Cobham, says Rosenior. The Team is excited to have him back.

Currently working on his fitness, he’ll join the squad soon#CFC
EPL pic.twitter.com/VE0I4VzkQz

— Rx. Legit (@rxendy) January 30, 2026

It would be a great shame - Colwill is Chelsea’s most reliable defender, a left-footed, left-sided centre back (a rare commodity in this day and age), and in the early stages of Tuchel’s England stint, showed himself to be one of England’s finest young prospects.

Still aged just 22, he will no doubt be in and amongst the squad for future tournaments, and some say he even has the potential to be named captain of the national team in a few years' time, but right now, he is in a race against time to make his rehabilitation deadline and force his way into the setup.

With Marc Guehi, Harry Maguire, Jarell Quansah, Trevoh Chalobah and Dan Burn all playing regular football and performing well, it is unlikely that Colwill will be able to change his manager's mind in the short time between his return and the first game of the World Cup kicking off.