5 players from the modern era who regularly miss international tournaments

Playing in an international tournament is perhaps the highest honour for a footballer

Representing one’s country at an international tournament is perhaps the highest honour for any footballer; the World Cup and continental tournaments like the Euros and the Copa America represent the top echelons of the sport where every player wants to make his mark.

Elite footballers usually get the chance to ply their trade at the highest of stages only a few times in their short careers. As a result, players often rest themselves in inconsequential games leading up to the World Cup to reduce risk of injury which could mean disaster for their chances of going to a tournament.

Missing out on the World Cup or a continental tournament lays waste to the hard work and long hours in training put in over the years in order to make it to the level required. Unfortunately, some elite footballers suffer from the rotten luck of repeatedly missing out on international tournaments through injury or pure misfortune.

We list five players who have repeatedly suffered the heartbreak of missing out on major tournaments.

#1 Marco Reus

Germany v Australia - International Friendly : News Photo — Reus has been unfortunate to miss Germany’s World Cup triumph due to injury

Marco Reus could probably be given the title of being the most gifted yet most unfortunate German footballer at the moment. Blessed with talent few wingers in world football can rival, there is arguably no one better than Reus at cutting in from the left wing and curling an unstoppable shot into the right corner with a flourish of his right foot. It is a sight most avid football fans have seen and cannot get enough of.

Inspite of this talent, the 27-year-old has been unfortunate to not represent Germany in an international tournament since his debut in Euro 2012. Scoring 20 goals for Borussia Dortmund in the 2015-16 season, Reus had to suffer the ignominy of being dropped from the German squad for the 2016 Euros due to injury concerns on his 27^th birthday.

The 2014 World Cup was an even more unfortunate story. Selected in the 23-man squad and firmly in the German starting XI for Brazil, the then 25-year old injured his ankle in a routine 6-1 win against minnows Armenia in a pre-World Cup friendly. To add insult to injury, the Die Mannschaft went on to win the World Cup, defeating hosts Brazil 7-1 on the way, a contest Reus would have surely loved to be part of.