That left enthusiasts with the prospect of no Cristiano Ronaldo in Qatar next wintry weather and the Azzurri, who thrilled for the duration of their run to Euro 2020 glory, potentially missing out on directly World Cups for the first time in their records.
Here AFP Sport looks on the nation of play for some of the large guns who've booked their region on football's biggest degree.
France
Les Bleus will be hoping for a greater stimulated defence in their global title than the performances they dished up at Euro 2020, which introduced on a complete-blown crisis following their humiliating elimination on the fingers of Switzerland.
Winning the Nations League delivered a few enthusiasm returned to Didier Deschamps' aspect, as did the sterling performances from Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema which led them to the identify.
However regardless of a wealth of worldwide magnificence expertise France nevertheless appear to be much less than the sum in their elements.
England
After accomplishing the final 4 on the closing World Cup and losing the Euro very last on consequences at Wembley, England's talented pool of gamers have to truely be one of the groups to overcome in Qatar.
Gareth Southgate has a bumper crop of pinnacle stage players from which to style a crew, which as anticipated eased thru a typically susceptible qualifying organization.
However a safety-first approach has at instances held lower back the Three Lions' undoubted attacking threat, and certainly one of Europe's satisfactory strikers in Harry Kane, while the chips are down.
