Picking a Potential Not-at-the-World Cup Best XI

It is now less than one year until the 2014 World Cup, and we are starting to get a better idea of the sides that will likely qualify for the competition.

While there are several big sides that still face some difficulties in their qualification campaign (e.g. England, Uruguay and France), there are others such as Denmark and Serbia that are facing almost certain absence from the competition.

The end result, as ever, will be that there are many talented footballers who will not make the tournament—including those who are standout stars for smaller nations.

Let's look at a potential Best XI of those players who look like they may not be at next summer's World Cup.

Goalkeeper: Petr Cech (Czech Rep.)

One of the best goalkeepers of the past decade and a key figure in Chelsea's recent successes in Europe, Czech Republic's Petr Cech looks unlikely to make what could be his final chance at attending a World Cup.

While the best 'keepers from across the world will descend upon Brazil next summer, the Chelsea gloveman will be the most notable absentee between the posts—although Poland's Wojciech Szczesny and Slovenia's Samir Handanovic are among other leading players set to miss out.

Right-Back: Lukasz Piszczek (Poland)

With Serbia almost certainly not attending the World Cup next summer, our defence is set to be dominated by the Eastern European nation that boasts excellent resources in the area.

However, beating Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic to the right-back position is Borussia Dortmund star Lukasz Piszczek—one of the key players in his side's rise to the top of the European game in recent years.

Centre-Backs: Nemanja Vidic and Matija Nastasic (Serbia)

Where Serbia does dominate our side, though, is in the central defensive positions, with the Manchester-based duo of Nemanja Vidic and Matija Nastasic taking up residence in our selection.

Both players, when fit, are among the leading defensive lights in the Premier League and will see many inferior players attend the competition in Brazil next summer.

Among those also to miss out will be Wales' Ashley Williams, Romania's Vlad Chiriches and Denmark's Daniel Agger.

Left-Back: Yaroslav Rakitskiy (Ukraine)

At left-back in our side comes Shakhtar Donetsk's Yaroslav Rakitskiy, one of the most impressive players in the Miners' Champions League run of last season.

Rakitskiy, who can also play centre-back, displaced long-serving Romanian Razvan Rat from the left of Shakhtar's defence a couple of seasons ago and has gone on to make the position his own.

Rat is another who won't make the World Cup, nor will Wales' Ben Davies or Serbia's Aleksander Kolarov.

Right Midfield: Jakub Blaszczykowski (Poland)

The right of our midfield will be occupied by another Polish player from Borussia Dortmund, with Jakub "Kuba" Blaszczykowski another star of club football who will not make the tournament next summer.

One of the hardest-working right-wingers in the game, Blaszczykowski's drive and energy has been an integral aspect of Dortmund's tactical setup under Jurgen Klopp.

Other attacking midfielders who will likely miss out include Morocco's Adel Taarabt and Younes Belhanda, Peru's Jefferson Farfan and Norway's Markus Henriksen.

Central Midfielders: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Armenia), Christian Eriksen (Denmark)

In our admittedly very attacking midfield lineup, the central positions are occupied by Dortmund's Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ajax's Christian Eriksen.

The duo are rated among two of the most talented rising stars in European football and have large price tags on their heads, with Mkhitaryan moving for £23.6 million, as noted by the Guardian.

Other candidates for the positions include the more defensive-minded Tomas Rincon of Venezuela, Mali's Seydou Keita and Wales' Aaron Ramsey.

Left Midfield: Gareth Bale (Wales)

There is only one candidate for our second wide midfield space, with Wales' Gareth Bale one of the biggest names in football at the present time.

The Real Madrid target, who the Guardian notes would reportedly become the most expensive player in history should he move, currently plays for North London outfit Tottenham Hotspur. His immediate future, though, remains in doubt.

Another player to find himself in a similar position to Bale is Manchester United's Ryan Giggs, who has never attended a major tournament. Lorient's talented Alain Traore of Burkina Faso and Serbia's Lazar Markovic will also miss out.

Strikers: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Robert Lewandowski (Poland)

Two of the most high-profile strikers in world football will almost certainly not be at the World Cup next summer, with Ibrahimovic and Lewandowski's respective nations struggling in qualification.

There may well be further major casualties as qualification progresses, but the absence of both players will already be an annoyance to sponsors ahead of the tournament.

On the sidelines, they will be joined by Salomon Rondon of Venezuela, Turkey's Burak Yilmaz and Denmark's Viktor Fischer among others.