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Players who Returned to the National Team after a Long Absence

 



A few notable players still managed to earn another national team call-up despite being nearly forgotten and their long absence in international fixtures.

The international break is back on schedule this week. Some teams will only play friendly matches to prepare for upcoming summer events such as EURO 2024 and Copa America USA 2024, which take place practically in the same period, June to July. Meanwhile, some others will have to go through the playoff rounds to fight for the last berths in both competitions.

In this crucial stage, either as a final stage of preparation or the playoffs, the teams that have not been entirely confident with the available players in their national team pool decide to call up veteran figures or even forgotten names to help their international campaign one last time. They can be a handful to boost the team’s form with their long experience in the final round, either as the team’s first choice in the lineup or simply as a substitute on the bench.

The host of EURO 2024, Germany, happens to be such a team. Die Mannschaft boss Julian Nagelsmann, who has been known for his preference for young players, has been forced to consider calling up a senior, experienced figure following his team's poor performance in the previous four games. Germany only won twice and lost twice under the former Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, and Hoffenheim managers.  He opted to call up Toni Kross for the upcoming matches and the final round thereafter.

The 34-year-old versatile midfielder is still playing at the top level with Real Madrid. He chose to retire after EURO 2020, which was staged only three years ago due to the pandemic. Nonetheless, the World Cup winner opted to come out of retirement to end Die Mannschaft’s dismal results and, perhaps, lift the trophy on home soil.

Kroos has already returned after only three years of absence. Some other figures who had been snubbed longer than him still managed to get a call-up in the end. So, who were they? Check out these players below.


Karim Benzema (France)

The 36-year-old forward was France’s number one frontman before Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe were the key men in Les Blues. He was part of the squad at EURO 2008, 2012, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He already netted 27 goals in 81 games after making his international debut in 2007.

However, Benzema was omitted from Didier Deschamps’ squad on the eve of Euro 2016. His involvement in a blackmailing scheme against his teammate, Mathieu Valbuena, cost him his spot on the national squad. The FFF (French Football Federation) declared that the former Real Madrid player would be ruled out of the summer tournament following his previous appearance against Armenia in October 2015. Consequently, he missed out on lifting the 2018 World Cup trophy in Russia with Les Blues.

Surprisingly, he received a call-up prior to EURO 2020, which took place in summer 2021. His outstanding form as Real Madrid's main goalscorer following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in 2018 caught Deschamps' attention. He managed to bag two braces in the tournament versus Portugal and Switzerland, proving his eye for goals and even taking over Mbappe’s and Griezmann’s spotlight. Sadly, his four goals could not help them advance to the quarterfinal, as they were beaten by Yann Sommer and Co. on penalties. Benzema eventually retired from the national team and plied his trade to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad after he did not make the cut in the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad.

Claudio Caniggia (Argentina)

He was Argentina’s top forward in the 1990s, alongside Gabriel Batistuta. Yet, unlike Batigol, Caniggia had a chance to shine first in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He was Diego Maradona’s attacking partner and bagged two crucial goals at the knockout stage: a winning goal while beating Brazil in the round of 16 and an equaliser against the host Italy in the semifinal.

The former AS Roma and Benfica frontmen went on to bring Argentina more silverware: the 1991 Copa America and the Confederation Cup in 1992. He even still managed to notch up a brace in the 1994 FIFA World Cup despite failing to lead his team further than the round of 16.

Such resulted in managerial changes from Alfo Basile to Daniel Passarella, who was more renowned for his 'neat short-hair' policy for his squad players. It applied to all players, whether junior or senior. Batistuta and Caniggia were no exception if they wanted to continue serving the national team. Unfortunately, he chose to keep his long hair instead of following his boss's rule. Thus, he was no longer considered. His international contribution stopped at 48 caps and 16 goals. July 1996 was his last appearance in the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Nonetheless, Caniggia was picked for the squad for a friendly match against Wales six years later, ahead of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In fact, he made the cut in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad for the tournament. He was playing for Glasgow Rangers in the 2001/02 campaign, registering 10 goals and five assists and helping them win the Scottish Cup and the League Cup. Unfortunately, Caniggia was only a benchwarmer. What’s worse, he became the first player in World Cup history to be sent off the bench. Bielsa’s men could not even advance to the knockout stage, which was their worst record since Sweden in 1958.

Fabio Quagliarella (Italy)

He was one of the most promising forwards for Gli Azzurri in the late 2000s, alongside Antonio Di Natale and Mario Balotelli. Quagliarella had been regularly included in Italy’s squad for EURO 2008, the 2009 FIFA Confederation Cup, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He made 25 appearances and scored six goals, including one in South Africa in 2010. Yet he was then snubbed afterwards due to his limited playing time once he moved to Juventus in the summer 2010. Quagliarella was not the first choice in La Vecchia Signora’s starting eleven at that time, whereas Balotelli was in his prime years.

The table turned nine years later, when he was playing for Sampdoria. The former Napoli and Torino man earned a call-up after he won Serie A as the as the top scorer in 2019/20. Roberto Mancini handed him another shot in the EURO 2020 qualifiers against Finland and Liechtenstein. He scored twice in the latter game and held the record for the oldest striker in Gli Azzurri.

Martin Palermo (Argentina)

Martin Palermo’s return to the national team is probably the most unexpected one. He had been waiting for 10 years to make another international appearance after his legendary consecutive penalty miss against Colombia in the Copa America in 1999. The former Boca Juniors, Villareal, and Real Betis man was a prolific striker during his playing years. He won the Argentina Top Flight Top Scorer Award twice, in 1998 and 2007.

He made his major tournament debut under Marcelo Bielsa in the Copa America in 1999, where he netted three times. Despite Palermo's domestic, continental, and international success with Boca Juniors, his penalty misses cost him his place in the national team, and Bielsa instead chose Gabriel Batistuta as the number one forward for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

He finally had his chance for redemption in 2009, when Diego Maradona was in charge of Albiceleste. Palermo, aged 35 at the time, was given another chance with the national team and even scored a winning goal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Peru, sealing Argentina’s berth in the competition after their disappointing qualifying campaign. The current Paraguay’s Olimpia manager was also included in the final squad of the tournament and bagged another goal while crushing Greece at the group stage in South Africa in 2010. Overall, Palermo capped 15 times and notched nine goals in international fixtures before he retired.


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