The worst XI players at the 2018 World Cup - in pictures

Goalkeeper – David de Gea (Spain) With Manuel Neuer still feeling his way back to form following serious injury, De Gea came into this tournament more or less universally acclaimed as the best goalkeeper in the game. Then he waved through a shot from Ronaldo early in the classic first game against Portugal, and it set the tone for a nervy campaign. Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

Right back – Igor Smolnikov (Russia) This World Cup has been a triumph for a variety of reasons. Very near the top of that list has been the form of the host nation, who have defied gloomy expectations and made it to the quarter-final. Not that all of their players have thrived. Smolnikov was sent off in an abject display in the group-phase loss to Uruguay. Dylan Martinez / Reuters

Left back – Raphael Guerreiro (Portugal) The France-born left-back was owned by Nordin Amrabat, the Morocco winger, in the group phase. The fact he retained his place after that horror show spoke much of the limited resources available to Portugal. When they needed him to raid in the last 16 against Uruguay, he shrunk. Hassan Ammar / AP Photo

Centre back – Federico Fazio (Argentina) This selection is possibly more a comment on Jorge Sampaoli’s confused coaching than the Roma centre back himself. France’s Kylian Mbappe dominates Marcos Rojo with his searing pace, and the solution is to replace Rojo at half-time with the even-more statuesque Fazio? In what actual world? Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

Centre back – Jerome Boateng (Germany) Aged a mere 29, and a World Cup-winner just four years ago, the Bayern Munich centre back is facing calls to retire after his woe in Russia. Sent off in the outgoing champions’ only win, against Sweden – and his team appeared to cope better when they were down to 10 men anyway. Michael Dalder / Reuters

Midfield – Sami Khedira (Germany) “Inexplicable” was the word the 77-cap, multi-trophy winning midfielder used to describe his performances in Russia. He had had a good season, “and then these two games happen to me,” he was quoted as saying by Bild. “I have not experienced that during my entire football career and therefore I have to question myself, why this could be so?” Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images

Midfield – Javier Mascherano (Argentina) Sloped off into retirement in tears after a tournament that bloodied both his features and his reputation. Way off the pace, maybe because he was distracted by trying to manage the team at the same time as playing. Hardly the fitting end to a fine international career. Carlos Garcia Rawlins / Reuters

Midfield - Grzegorz Krychowiak (Poland) Poland arrived in Russia ranked eighth in Fifa’s world standings, and yet were gone as soon as it was possible to be. The most memorable failing of their insipid campaign was when Krychowiak laid on a decisive goal for Senegal’s Mbaye Niang with an errant back pass. Poland did not recover. Peter Powell / EPA

Right wing – Mesut Ozil (Germany) Sorry to be an uneducated oaf about this. Maybe he really did create millions of chances with a stealth that goes over the head of all those without the requisite football intellect to appreciate his merits. But was the Arsenal schemer not, in fact, just a little bit useless? Michael Dalder / Reuters

Left wing – Manuel Neuer (Germany) Joachim Low, the Germany manager, has said in the past that Neuer could slot into midfield if he ever fancied it, such is his skill with his feet and his intelligence. Erm, the evidence of his walkabout on the left wing against South Korea suggests a revision of that idea is required. Don’t quit the day job, Keeps. Diego Azubel / EPA

Centre forward – Michy Batshuayi (Belgium) OK, so he might yet score the winner in the final and be remembered forever as a Belgian hero. It would take at least that for him to be defined by anything other than hitting himself in the face with the ball after booting it against a post in celebration of a goal. “I don't know if he did it for extra followers or something,” teammate Dries Mertens said later. Fabrizio Bensch / Reuters

Much was made of the early exits of football’s Big Two – Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – from the 2018 World Cup.

They are hardly the first great players to miss out on winning football’s most famous trophy, though. Even during this competition itself, a number of other players of celebrated standing have suffered.

A list of XI players who are unlikely to be leaving Russia with their reputations enhanced.

Scroll left/right on the picture gallery above.

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In pictures: Best images so far from the World Cup 2018 in Russia Part 2

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