Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez and Three Other Top African Players To Miss World Cup 2022

• Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen and Riyad Mahrez are among the names of African football stars to miss the FIFA World Cup in Qatar
• This year's FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December 2022
• The Black Stars, Teranga Lions, Atlas Lions, Indomitable Lions and Carthage Eagles will represent Africa in Qatar

Africa's long journey to the 2022 World Cup were decided on Tuesday night.

Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon, Morocco and Tunisia will be representing the African Confederation in the first ever November-December World Cup.

All five African countries advanced to Qatar 2022 by winning two-legged play-offs which turned out to be close encounters.

The Black Stars of Ghana and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon book their places via the away goal rules, whiles AFCON champions Senegal defeated the Pharaohs of Egypt via penalty shootout.

Andre Ayew, Stephen Appiah congratulate Black Stars on World Cup qualification

Football

Some huge names from Africa will be missing out at the global showpiece after failing to clinch qualification to the Mundial.

Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)

Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup after they drew 1-1 with Ghana in Abuja. The Super Eagles recorded a 0-0 scoreline with the Black Stars in the first leg but have been knocked out via the away goal rule. Napoli forward Victor Osimhen featured for the Super Eagles but failed to make a mark in either the home or away leg.

Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

There was a repeat of the AFCON final after Egypt lost to Senegal on penalties in Dakar in a World Cup play-off tie.

The Pharoahs relinquished their first-leg advantage to lose on penalties against the Teranga Lions at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium.

2014 World Cup winner Jerome Boateng congratulates Ghana for sealing World Cup berth

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The blockbuster encounter was decided by another penalty shootout after a pair of 1-0 results for each home side that left the two nations level on aggregate.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah who did not play in the shootouts against Senegal in the AFCON final missed a penalty in the shootout, with his club teammate Sadio Mane scoring the winning penalty to help Senegal qualify for the World Cup.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the headlines in 2022 after joining Barcelona on a free transfer following his high-profile exit from Arsenal. However, despite netting two crucial goals in qualifying, Gabon were squeezed out by Mo Salah's Egypt in the race for a CAF play-off spot.

Franck Kessie (Ivory Coast)

AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie looks set for a crucial few months at the San Siro, as his contract with Stefano Pioli's side expires at the end of the season. However, regardless of his next club move, he will not be at the World Cup after Ivory Coast suffered a final group game defeat to Cameroon, with the Indomitable Lions progressing in their place.

Meet the four African coaches going to the 2022 World Cup

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Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

Algeria were stunned at home in Blida after Cameroon clawed from a goal down on aggregate to clinch a nerve-shredding qualification to Qatar 2022.

The 2019 AFCON champions recorded a vital 1-0 away victory in Yaounde on Friday in the first leg. But the Dessert Foxes suffered a stunning defeat to the Indomitable Lions thanks to Karl Toko Ekambi's last-gasp goal.

This means that Manchester winger Riyad Mahrez, who played the entirety of the game, will be watching the World Cup at home.