The delayed 2020 edition of the UEFA European Championship is all set to kick off on Friday, with Italy taking on Turkey in the first group stage match. The championship is organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). 

While the tournament usually features some of the biggest stars on the continent, a few unlucky ones miss out because of injury, form or for their national teams failing qualifying. 

Here is a look at the top players missing out on Euro 2020:

Erling Haaland (Norway)

Erling Haaland will be
missing Euro 2020 because his country did not qualify for the tournament. The player was denied a chance to show his skills
on one of the biggest international levels because Norway lost to Serbia in the qualification.

At the age of 20, it’s already easy to argue that the
Borussia Dortmund striker is one of the top five strikers in the world and only
improving each time he steps out on the pitch.

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will miss out of the Euro 2020
due to a knee injury while playing for AC Milan.

He’s had so many moments of brilliance, including his
legendary bicycle kick against England, that have made Ibrahimovic one of the
most prolific strikers of this generation. Sweden will have to make a run
without their all-time leading goal scorer.

Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)

Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk will also miss
out on the Euro 2020 due to an injured knee. Van
Dijk missing the Euros is a huge blow for a country with a pretty favourable
group and a chance to make a run in the biggest European competition.

Sergio Ramos (Spain)

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Sergio Ramos has not been selected to play for Spain in
the Euro 2020 because of the player’s injuries throughout the 2020/21 campaign.
Luis Enrique found Ramos unfit to play for Spain and omitted his name from the
list.

Marc-andre ter Stegen (Germany)

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has confirmed he will miss Germany’s Euro 2020 campaign after opting to undergo a “therapeutic procedure” on his knee.

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Luckily for the Germans, they have a guy in goal named Manuel Neuer, but ter Stegen’s absence is still a big blow.  The Barcelona keeper has established himself as one of the best in La Liga and the world during his time with the Blaugrana.