Get the beers in, it’s 57 days away.
While all the managers are focused on how they can kidnap Lionel Messi on the streets of Moscow and how to say man-mark in Russian there are a few modern legends of the game staking their claim for a place in those first class plane seats.
There are a number over-thirties banging them in across the world and international managers need to listen up and make one more space in their squad list for these stars in their twilight.
1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sweden
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, making the MLS great again.
Ibra has gone to LA Galaxy for a late-career swansong and no doubt bucket loads of goals – he’s already hit three in three.
And why shouldn’t he go to the World Cup?
He’s Sweden’s record goalscorer with 62 goals, he continues to score in club football and there’s barely an inch of fat on his tank of a body.
Sweden don’t have anyone else in their squad capable of the magic this wizard can conjure.
His country love him, he even has his own entry in the Swedish dictionary and on top of that he’s told the world he is going to the World Cup.
Who is Janne Andersson to say no?
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2 Carlos Tevez, Argentina
Argentina might be blessed with one of the best players to walk the planet and a delectable selection of back up strikers but there’s one man you have forgotten about.
Carlos Tevez returned to Argentina for his third spell at Boca Juniors and is proving that class is permanent and age is just a number.
Three goals in five games this season is enough to rival Paulo Dybala, isn’t it?
Well Jorge Sampaoli isn’t ruling out adding a few more caps to Tevez’s tally of 75.
And there’s no-one out there that wouldn’t love to see that beautiful FIFA combination of Tevez, Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi one last time.
3 Jonas, Brazil
If there is one man who truly does deserve a call up to the World Cup it is Benfica’s Jonas.
He’s currently the top scorer in the Primeira Liga with 33 goals in 27 games and at 34 he is finding a whole new level to his game.
Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino are Tite’s strikers one and two but surely there’s room for a red hot plan C?
Jonas could be just what Brazil need when they’re struggling to breakdown Serbia’s rock solid backline.
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4 Andre-Pierre Gignac, France
OK so France don’t really need any more strikers but how can you say no to Andre-Pierre Gignac.
Yes, Kylian Mbappe could win the Golden Boot, yes Antoine Griezmann is one of the best strikers in the world right now and yes they’ve got perfect back-up options in Alexandre Lacazette and Olivier Giroud.
But Gignac is a beast and if you can hack it in the crazy world of Liga MX then you’ve definitely still got it.
He played in the Euros and I’m starting the petition for Gignac to the World Cup right now.
5 Peter Crouch, England
Lo and behold Harry Kane were to get injured between now and the World Cup, but Gareth Southgate has to plan for these things.
And that is why he should seriously be considering calling on the unlimited talents of beanpole extraordinaire Peter Crouch.
His goal against West Ham, expertly nicking the ball out of Joe Hart’s grasp and slotting home was pure finishing instinct.
In scoring that one he became Stoke’s record Premier League goal scorer.
Need I continue?
Fine. If there has ever been a more Crouchy site than him using the defender’s dreadlocks to get a boost in the air and nod in a header then let me know.
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