12 Longest Absences From The World Cup

Last Appearance: 1958

It has now been twenty years since Scotland last made a World Cup in 1998 and thirty two years since the aforementioned last appearance by Northern Ireland in 1986. The agony for supporters of either is nothing compared to that of their Welsh counterparts, however, who have now been waiting for sixty years since their one and only outing in 1958, where they lost in the quarter finals to eventual champions Brazil.

After the Gareth Bale led Wales team qualified and reached the semi finals of Euro 2016 (the first appearance at a major tournament since that event), Wales were a strong favourite to make it to Russia. In a closely fought group, however, they came in third place despite losing only one game. Both Serbia and the Republic of Ireland (who inflicted said defeat in the group's final game) each succumbed to defeat on just one occasion also, progressing to the finals and the playoffs respectively on the basis of their superior victory counts.

Bale will be 32 by the time that Qatar comes around, whilst other key players such as Aaron Ramsey will also have passed the ages considered to be a footballer's peak. As a result, they seem destined to follow in the footsteps of other great Welsh players such as Ian Rush and Ryan Giggs by never making an appearance at football's biggest spectacle.