Football
Players Who Never Won a Ballon d’Or
Football’s crown jewels are awarded each year. The Ballon d’Or seeks to recognize the greatest player for that year. This is a look at some of the greatest names in football to never win it.
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Each season, the Ballon d’Or – football’s most prestigious individual award – is handed to the player who has been the world’s best in the previous season. Granted, there is debate and controversy around how the awarded is decided, but you are never going to please everyone anyway.
The award is voted on by a jury of journalists from around the world who aim to give it to the most deserving candidate – but the reality is that history has a list of players who have painfully missed out on the award.
Players Who Never Won a Ballon d’Or
SportsBoom has compiled a list of some of the greatest names never to win the award.
| Player Name | Additional Achievements |
| Gianluigi Buffon | 2006 FIFA World Cup winner, 10x Serie A champion, Most appearances for Juventus, 5x IFFHS Best Goalkeeper |
| Paolo Maldini | 7x Serie A champion, 5x UEFA Champions League winner, Most appearances for AC Milan, 1994 World Cup runner-up |
| Xavi | 2010 FIFA World Cup winner, 2x European Championship winner (2008, 2012), 4x UEFA Champions League winner, Multiple La Liga titles |
| Thierry Henry | 1998 FIFA World Cup winner, 2000 European Championship winner, Arsenal’s all-time top scorer, 2x Premier League champion, UEFA Champions League winner (2009) |
| Robert Lewandowski | 2020 UEFA Champions League winner, 10x Bundesliga champion, FIFA Best Men’s Player 2020 & 2021, All-time top foreign scorer in Bundesliga history |
| Neymar | 2015 UEFA Champions League winner, Olympic Gold Medallist (2016), 2x La Liga champion, 5x Ligue 1 champion, Brazil’s all-time top scorer |
Legendary Players Who Never Won the Ballon d’Or
Gianluigi Buffon
There is a strong argument that Gianluigi Buffon should have become only the second goalkeeper in history to win the Ballon d’Or. Finishing second in 2006 to countrymen Fabio Cannavaro, the Juventus keeper should have arguably clinched the prize himself.
Keeping a record five clean sheets en route to the final of the FIFA World Cup, alongside making a match-saving block in extra-time of the final – Buffon saw his country to victory but fell short of securing football’s most prestigious individual award.
Paolo Maldini
Maldini was revered by his peers and arguably the best defender to play the game. Winning seven Serie A titles and five European Cups, the Italian was never able to secure the Ballon d’Or title.
He was closest to securing the award in both 1994 and 2003 when finishing third, but given the fact that he reinvented robust defending, it is a shame to see him miss out.
Xavi
The glue between what is often considered the greatest midfield trio of all time, Xavi was a master regista. Able to effortlessly control the tempo of the game, he possessed a passing range second to none and a vision that was just always a step ahead.
While the Spainard only managed third between 2009 and 2011, a certain Lionel Messi happened to be another player in the same generation
Thierry Henry
At his peak, Henry was simply immense. Fast, skillful and all with an eye for goal. Scoring a total of 226 goals for Arsenal, he also played a pivotal role in France’s 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 wins.
Arguably his greatest moment came in the 2003/04 season, scoring 39 goals in all competition for Arsene Wenger’s side and seeing Arsenal win the Premier League without losing a single game. Even then, he was unable to secure the coveted prize.
Robert Lewandowski
There is an argument to make that Lewandowski was robbed of his best chance of winning the award by COVID-19. Scoring a stunning 55 goals in all competition and assisting Bayern Munich on their way to securing the treble – surely, he was a shoo-in.
Even though the Polish ace put up similar numbers the following year, he was snubbed in favour of a Lionel Messi who had arguably hit and miss at Paris Saint-Germain.
Neymar
Whenever we speak of Neymar, there is seemingly a ‘what could have been’ that usually follows. There was a time where he was one of the most exciting players on the planet, scoring over 100 goals in four seasons and winning major honours like the Champions League and La Liga pretty much overnight.
Injuries unfortunately followed his career, and his decision to leave Spain for PSG failed to flourish into anything of real substance.
Why They Missed Out
Although this will never be a perfect science, history suggests that there are certain indicators worth considering. As a point of departure, it is worth considering that until 1995 non-European players were ineligible for the award – hence we don’t see Diego Maradona or Pele having ever won the award.
The Ballon d’Or used to be voted for by journalists and, before that, players. But there is often a major preference given to attacking players with goals scored, and performances in major finals carry an incredible advantage.
And then of course, the Messi-Ronaldo dominance. These two players are arguably the greatest to ever step out onto a football field and so between 2008 and 2017 the two alternated the award until Luka Modric broke the hold in 2018.
Conclusion
The list of Ballon d’Or winners – and indeed those who just missed out – make up essentially some of the greatest names to play the game. Players to impact football and endear themselves to fans across the globe.
Who was your favourite that missed out on the coveted prize? Let us know!
Ryan Liberty is an experienced sports writer whose articles have featured in some of the biggest sports publications in South Africa. With a strong understanding of all major sports and an in-depth understanding of betting, Ryan consistently delivers insightful content. He's also known for his ability to break down complex topics into engaging, reader-friendly pieces.