Top 15 greatest footballers to have never won Ballon d'Or; Paolo Maldini, Henry & more

These legends narrowly missed out on the prestigious award.

Football is a team sport, and every individual dreams of winning trophies like the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League. A collective effort from each individual turns a side into a champion. However, some players possess the quality to decide a game on their own.

The Ballon d’Or is an award given out by a French magazine called France Football. It’s a prize that symbolises the pinnacle of individual achievement. Since its inception in 1956, only 47 different players have won this award.

While some legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won it multiple times, others have missed out on it despite being considered among the best players in the world during their time. In this article, we will take a look at the 15 greatest footballers to have never won the Ballon d’Or.

15. Alessandro Nesta

The Italian was the best centre-back in the world during his prime years and was very successful with both club and country. Unlike other names on this list, he never even managed to finish in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or ranking, with his highest finish being 14th.

14. Frank Rijkaard

Frank Rijkaard is one of the most complete and versatile midfielders that the game has ever seen. He played a crucial role in the Netherlands’ Euro triumph in 1988 and helped AC Milan win the UEFA Champions League the following season. He was ranked third for the prize in 1988 behind his teammates, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten.

13. Raul

Raúl González was a legendary striker who dominated world football while playing for Spain and Real Madrid. He was recognised as one of the best players in the world in the early 2000s. He came very close to winning the Ballon d’Or in 2001.

He scored 46 goals across all competitions and won titles like LaLiga and UEFA Super Cup. Despite all these achievements, he could only finish second behind Michael Owen.

12. Gianluigi Buffon

The Italian was a match-winner even as a goalkeeper. His impact on Italian football is unmeasurable as he inspired an entire generation to pursue a career between the sticks. He finished second behind Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 after leading Italy to the World Cup triumph.

Final ranking of Ballon d'Or France Football 2017 : 4th – GIANLUIGI BUFFONLive ranking : https://t.co/VCaRs94Ncc #BallondOr pic.twitter.com/ciBbnPcmvl

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) December 7, 2017

However, many people still argue that he should have been the one to win the Ballon d’Or over his teammate.

11. Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos joined Real Madrid as a talented youngster but left the club as one of their most successful captains. Los Blancos won three back-to-back Champions Leagues under his leadership and was consistently one of their most important players. His best-ever finish came in 2017 when he was ranked sixth on the list.

10. Paolo Maldini

The legacy of Paolo Maldini is unmatched. Attacking players always hold the advantage in the race to win the Ballon d’Or, but Paolo had all the qualities to be recognised as the best in the world. He won Serie A and UEFA Champions League, and played in the World Cup final in 1994, which resulted in him finishing in the top three.

9. Neymar

Neymar Jr. was widely considered the best player in the world after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He finished third on many occasions, but consistent injuries never allowed him to fulfil his true potential. He regained his best level during the 2022/23 season.

But a heartbreaking loss against Croatia in the World Cup took a toll on him and led him to leave Europe mere months later.

8. David Beckham

The Englishman is not appreciated enough for his career on the pitch. He was one of the best midfielders in the world for many years, who could decide a game on his own. He was a crucial part of Manchester United’s team that won the treble in the 1998/99 season.

But even with that, he could only finish in the second spot in the Ballon d’Or ranking behind FC Barcelona’s Rivaldo.

7. Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez is one of the most complete strikers that the game has seen. He is strong, technical, agile and was a nightmare for every defence during his prime. His unorthodox style of play made him unique.

Luis even managed to outscore Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during the pinnacle of their dominance to win the European Golden Boot on two occasions.

6. Robert Lewandowski

The Polish striker is still operating at a very high level despite being 36 years old. 2019/2020 was his best-ever season as he outscored all of Europe and won six trophies with Bayern Munich. However, the Ballon d’Or ceremony was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and he came second behind Lionel Messi the following year.

5. Oliver Khan

Oliver Khan was the best goalkeeper in the world in the early 2000s. He was very successful with Bayern Munich and was delivering great performances with the German national team as well. He lost out on the award by very fine margins in 2001 and 2002 as he finished third on both occasions.

4. Thierry Henry

The 2003 edition of the Ballon d’Or is very controversial to this day. Thierry Henry was the best attacker in the world during that year, but missed out on the prize as it was won by Juventus’s Pavel Nedvěd. The Frenchman came close in 2004 and 2006, but the stars never aligned for him to win the Ballon d’Or.

Was Thierry Henry robbed of the Ballon d'Or in 2003? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/6RObwW8EQ6

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 25, 2023

3. Xavi

Xavi was just exceptional as a player. He was a genius on the pitch, and despite not being a physical specimen, he dominated every midfield, no matter the opponent. He could read the game exceptionally well and was the engine of FC Barcelona during the late 2000s and early 2010s.

He finished third on three occasions and was humble enough to double down on the wins of Messi and Ronaldo during his prime years.

2. Bobby Moore

Bobby Moore was yet another player to miss out on the Ballon d’Or because of the position he played in. He is one of the most iconic players the world has ever seen. Even Pelé called him the greatest defender the Brazilian had ever faced.

He also captained England to win their inaugural World Cup title in 1966.

1. Andrés Iniesta

The midfield maestro won every single competition he competed in. He was a wizard with the ball at his feet. 2010 was his best chance as he scored the match-winning goal in the World Cup final to give his nation the title and was also crowned the man of the match.

Andrés Iniesta was so close! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/wTni3xyR1t

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) June 29, 2023

Guess what? Iniesta ended up as another great player to have never won a Ballon d’Or.

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