Football
Euro 2020: 5 big names who will be missing from action
As the start of the much-awaited Euro 2020 draws closer, we take a look at the 5 biggest names that will have to sit out this edition of the championships.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic during an international match for Sweden ( Source: AP/Andrew Medichini)
There is just a little more than a week to go for the start of the Euros, and most of the teams have announced their final squads. Even as a galaxy of footballing stars wait to light up our television screens for the next month, there are quite a few high-profile players who will be missing from the action. Here we look at the five biggest names who won't be featuring in this year's championships:
Sergio Ramos
It will be fascinating to see how Spain cope without their lionhearted former captain in defence after he was dropped following an injury-plagued 2020-21 season. The 35-year-old has 180 national team appearances against his name, but with head coach Luis Enrique opting to go with younger faces, this could be the beginning of the end of his international career.
Erling Haaland
The 20-year-old Norwegian has had a meteoric rise to fame in the past couple of years. The Borussia Dortmund striker is currently one of the hottest properties in Europe due to his unbelievable efficiency in front of goal. However, with Norway losing their playoff semifinal against Serbia, he will miss out on this edition of the Euros.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Arguably the biggest 'name' on this list, the evergreen Zlatan Ibrahimovic, will also be missing from action this summer after injuring his knee while playing for AC Milan. What makes this sadder still is the fact that the 39-year-old had come out of international retirement earlier in March.
Virgil Van Dijk
A towering defender and an even better defensive organizer and leader when fit, VVD's absence will be sorely felt by the Dutch. The Liverpool ace is still recovering from an injury to his right knee that kept him out of action for almost the entirety of last season.
Jan Oblak
He might be one of the best goalkeepers in the world and a La Liga winner with Atletico Madrid, but Slovenia captain Jan Oblak will not get to show his talents at the Euros this season after his country failed to qualify for the continental championships.
