Is winning a World Cup the pinnacle of a footballer’s career? Is lifting the trophy the wildest dream come true? This piece shines a light on the players who carried the weight of a champion’s badge without needing to break a sweat on the field.
Among the 736 players who take part in the World Cup, only 23 will walk away with glory. Yet not every future champion gets meaningful minutes. The math is simple: two full teams of 11 players each, for a number of matches, plus a goalkeeper to spare, and history shows that many called up never get regular action in the tournament. The story is not about the stars alone but about those who stood ready, yet whose contributions remained off the official scorecard.
Who are the players who have won the most World Cups?
At the top of the list of those who miss a share of the action are the substitute goalkeepers. In many squads, doors open for many gifted shot-stoppers who never get to displace the starter in the tournament, and thus do not step onto the field in any match. Names such as Victor Valdés, Pepe Reina, Angelo Peruzzi, Marco Amelia, Dida, and Rogério Ceni are remembered for their presence in the squad, even though they did not appear in a single game during the World Cups in which they were involved.
There are also notable cases where players were not part of the coaching staff’s plans. In Argentina, Daniel Killer and Rubén Galván stood out in 1978, while Daniel Alberto Passarella and Sergio Omar Almirón did so in 1986. Beyond those instances, there were moments during the Mexico World Cup where minutes proved scarce: Ricardo Bochini and Enrique Trobbiani entered play only briefly. One team went on after 85 minutes against Belgium, while the other touched down just in time for the final whistle.
On the international stage, several respected footballers are highlighted for their limited involvement. Ronaldo’s absence from the 1994 United States edition remains a defining moment, even though he was a teenager at the time. The lists include Frank Mill and Paul Steiner in Italy 1990, Franco Baresi in Spain 1982, and Coutinho in Chile 1962, among others who did not feature as regulars in their World Cup campaigns.
There is no diminishment of a player’s status for not featuring on the pitch. Some champions remember their role differently. One former star, Mill, perhaps captured the sentiment best when he hinted that a World Cup winner’s title can feel distant from personal achievement when minutes were scarce. The experience underscores the idea that a squad win is a collective triumph, not only a showcase for those who played every minute.
In recent editions, the pattern persisted. In Russia 2018 there were two French teammates who did not take the field during the tournament: Alphonso Areola and Adil Rami. In Qatar 2022 the same framework held, with Areola again connected to the winner’s circle and Karim Benzema missing time due to injury. The dynamic of a victorious squad relies on a blend of on-field action and the readiness of those who wait their turn in the wings.
In Qatar 2022, the formula from the prior edition reappeared. The roster expanded with two additional replacement goalkeepers for the Albiceleste, Geronimo Rolli and Franco Armani, illustrating how a champion squad balances depth and opportunity across a demanding calendar.
THE FULL LIST
Source: Goal