No Show

Author: James Bennett

Football (Soccer, Association football)

Published on 30^th March 2026 by Pitch Publishing Ltd in the United Kingdom.

Hardback | 320 pages
145mm x 223mm x 29mm | 490g

No Show: The World Cup Teams That Never Were is a fascinating collection of 24 stories of the greatest teams that failed to qualify for the World Cup finals. Ranging from continental giants that became inexplicable absentees to heartbreaking stories of underdogs coming oh-so-close to a place on the world stage, these are stories that stand alone as remarkable accounts of misfortune, whether through refereeing decisions, late goals or even global politics. Discover how some of the greatest players in history never played at the world’s biggest tournament, including Alfredo di Stéfano, George Best, Eric Cantona and George Weah. Learn how Johan Cruyff could easily have joined this list, but for a moment of controversy in a deciding qualifier. And relive classic tales of woe for the home nations, including Scotland in 1970, England in 1978 and Wales in 1986. Together, these captivating stories create a patchwork that tells the tale of the trials and tribulations of World Cup qualifying, one of the greatest challenges in world football.