Rafa Benítez Laments Victor Osimhen’s Absence From 2026 FIFA World Cup: ‘Not Just Because Napoli Holds a Special Place in My Heart’

Rafa Benítez has placed Victor Osimhen among the most significant absentees from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing disappointment that the Nigerian forward will not feature at football’s showpiece event this summer.

Speaking to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of the tournament — co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico — the veteran Spanish coach was asked which players he would have most wanted to see competing. Kvaratskhelia was his first response, before he turned his attention to the Galatasaray striker. “And then Osimhen too, and not just because Napoli holds a special place in my heart,” Benítez said.

Osimhen’s absence stems from Nigeria’s disappointing 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, which saw the Super Eagles fall short of securing a place at the expanded 48-team tournament. The failure represented a significant blow for African football, with Osimhen widely regarded as one of the continent’s most dangerous forwards. The 26-year-old finished as Serie A’s top scorer in the 2023/24 season with 15 goals for Napoli before joining Galatasaray on loan and subsequently on a permanent basis.

Benítez, who managed Napoli between 2013 and 2015 and won the Coppa Italia with the club, did not limit his lament to Osimhen alone. The former Liverpool and Real Madrid coach also cited Georgia and Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Polish midfielder Piotr Zieliński and veteran striker Robert Lewandowski as notable absentees. “But I must also add Zieliński and Lewandowski, one of the greatest ever,” he added. Poland failed to qualify for the tournament, ending Lewandowski’s hopes of appearing at what would likely have been his final World Cup.

Beyond the absences, Benítez offered his assessment of the leading contenders for the tournament. He identified France as the team to beat, pointing to the remarkable depth at Didier Deschamps’ disposal. “France possesses an impressive array of talent; they’ve even had to leave some players at home, which is astonishing,” he said.

Spain and England were also singled out as genuine title threats, with Benítez highlighting specific individuals within each squad. “Then there’s Spain, for similar reasons, because they have Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, alongside a fabulous midfield with Pedri and Rodri,” he said. “You can’t ignore Germany, because history counts, and certainly not England with Bellingham or Saka, Gordon or Rice.”

Nigeria’s World Cup absence continues a difficult period for Super Eagles football. The team had entered qualifying with expectations of reaching a tournament that, for the first time, will feature 48 nations — a format that theoretically offered more pathways to qualification across the African Football Confederation. Africa was allocated nine guaranteed spots for the expanded competition, yet Nigeria still could not secure one of them.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to begin on 11 June 2026, with the final set to take place on 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. For Osimhen, the tournament will pass without him, despite his status as one of the most prolific African strikers of his generation.