TOP 5 NATIONS THAT FAILED TO QUALIFY FOR THE 2018 WORLD CUP

#5. CAMEROON

Africa Cup of Nations champions Cameroon won't be in Russia for World Cup 2018after they were eliminated from the final round of qualifying.

Hugo Broos' side needed to beat Nigeria at home, but could only manage a 1-1 draw and will not be in the 2018 edition of the tournament. 

They are the first African side to be knocked out of the final qualifying standings, ensuring that the one-time World Cup quarter-finalists' recent revival was shortlived. 

#4. NETHERLAND

The Netherlands will not go to the 2018 World Cup in Russia after failing to qualify for their second straight major tournament.

The Oranje needed to beat Sweden in Amsterdam on Tuesday night by seven clear goals in order to leapfrog their opponents into the play-off spot.

But despite Holland's 2-0 victory, it wasn't enough to prevent Sweden from securing a play-off spot with a second-placed finish in Group A while France topped the group thanks to their 2-1 home win over Belarus in Paris.

Holland's failure to qualify for next summer's World Cup is a far cry from seven years ago when the Dutch reached the World Cup final in South Africa where they lost 1-0 to Spain after extra-time.

#3. CHILE

Just a year ago, Chile — powered by a collection of star players such as Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal — played Germany in the final of the Confederations Cup. Germany won, of course, but Chile figured to be back in Russia for the World Cup. Following the Confederations Cup, however, Chile three of its last four World Cup qualifying matches to finish sixth in the qualification standings, missing out on the fifth spot (which played in an inter-confederation playoff) on goal differential. 

#2. USA

In the final qualifying round for the 2018 World Cup last October, the U.S. men’s national team lost 2-1 against Trinidad and Tobago in a stunning defeat.

That loss was just one of a series of events that led to the U.S.’s failure to qualify for the World Cup. The match came at the end of a two-years-long qualifying tournament for national teams in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football leagues. A rocky start for the U.S. meant the country’s fate relied heavily on how other teams fared. Indeed, the loss against Trinidad and Tobago was just part of the concoction that led to the U.S.’s absence at the 2018 World Cup. Honduras and Panama stunned Mexico and Costa Rica, respectively, in the final round last October. Those wins and losses placed Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama in the World Cup, and the U.S. in fifth place — even out of reach of a fourth-place finish where the team could have fought for a World Cup spot in the inter-confederation play-offs.

#1. ITALY

 Italy failed to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1958 as they were held to a 0-0 draw in the second leg of their play-off at the San Siro by Sweden, who qualified with a 1-0 aggregate victory.

The four-time champions dominated possession but struggled to create enough clear-cut chances, as Sweden secured a first appearance at the finals since 2006 courtesy of Jakob Johansson's first-leg strike in Stockholm.

It is the third time that the Italians will not compete at the World Cup, after not going to the first edition in 1930 and not qualifying for the 1958 finals in Sweden. Despite the support of 74,000 fans in a white-hot atmosphere at the San Siro, the 2006 World Cup winners could not find a way through.