The 15 Best Players Never to Win the Men's Ballon d’Or: From Lost Legends to Today’s Stars
The football world is still buzzing after Monday night’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, where Ousmane Dembélé capped off a remarkable year by lifting the game’s most prestigious individual award. His triumph has once again reignited one of football’s favorite debates: which legendary players never got their hands on the golden ball?
The Ballon d’Or is supposed to crown the very best. And yet, through quirks of timing, politics, and sheer bad luck, some of the game’s greatest icons finished their careers without it. Others are still active, chasing the prize year after year. Here’s our look at the 15 best players who never won the Ballon d’Or—plus a fascinating debate around one football god who wasn’t even allowed to compete for it.
Kevin De Bruyne
Arguably the most complete midfielder of his generation. De Bruyne has been the creative engine behind Manchester City’s dominance under Pep Guardiola, orchestrating a dynasty with his vision and laser-like passing. Two-time Premier League Player of the Season, countless assists, and Champions League glory—and yet, the Ballon d’Or has remained out of reach. Many believe his understated brilliance works against him in an award that often favors goalscorers.
Virgil van Dijk
Defenders rarely win the Ballon d’Or, but Virgil van Dijk came closer than almost anyone in recent memory. In 2019, he finished second to Lionel Messi after transforming Liverpool into Champions League winners. His calm dominance and unshakeable aura at the back defined an era. History shows that defenders are often overlooked—but with Van Dijk still active at the highest level, the door isn’t completely closed on his golden moment.
Steven Gerrard
Liverpool’s captain fantastic. Gerrard’s heroic 2005 Champions League final performance is the stuff of legend, dragging his team from 0–3 down against AC Milan. A dynamic midfielder who could tackle, pass, and score thunderbolts, he defined an era of English football. Yet individual recognition always evaded him, overshadowed by flashier names on the European stage.
Thierry Henry
The Premier League’s ultimate forward. Arsenal’s all-time top scorer, the driving force of the “Invincibles,” and a player who redefined attacking football in England. Henry finished runner-up in 2003, but for a man who combined style, swagger, and world-class consistency, the fact he never won still feels like a glaring oversight.
Zlatan Ibrahimović
Zlatan didn’t just score goals—he turned them into art. Bicycles, volleys, outrageous chips: his highlight reel is endless. He conquered Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, and more, leaving a trail of trophies. Yet despite his charisma and iconic status, the Ballon d’Or eluded him. Was he unlucky to peak during the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly? Absolutely. But that doesn’t stop him from being one of the greats never crowned.
Andrés Iniesta
The beating heart of Spain and Barcelona’s golden eras. Iniesta was elegance personified—press-resistant, endlessly intelligent, and capable of game-winning magic. He scored the World Cup-winning goal in 2010, a year many felt should have earned him the Ballon d’Or. Instead, Messi claimed it again. Few players have ever commanded such universal respect while staying so humble.
Harry Kane
Tottenham’s record scorer and England’s talisman, Kane has blended ruthless finishing with a unique ability to drop deep and dictate play. A Golden Boot winner at the World Cup, a consistent 20+ goal striker, and now Bayern Munich’s spearhead, his career has everything but major silverware. If Bayern deliver him Champions League glory, Kane’s Ballon d’Or case may finally gain real traction.
Robert Lewandowski
For many, Lewandowski is the Ballon d’Or that never was. In 2020, he was unstoppable: Bayern Munich swept a historic treble, he scored for fun, and yet the award was cancelled due to the pandemic. Even FIFA created “The Best” to recognize him. His legacy as one of the most clinical strikers in history is secure – but that missing golden ball will forever sting.
Paolo Maldini
The ultimate defender. Maldini spent 25 years at AC Milan, winning five Champions League titles and setting standards for defensive excellence that may never be matched. Graceful, loyal, and an icon of leadership, Maldini was football royalty. Yet he never came close to winning the Ballon d’Or. Perhaps the biggest injustice of all: the award has always favored goals, not greatness at the back.
Kylian Mbappé
Already a World Cup winner at 19, a Champions League finalist, and the face of French football. Mbappé’s speed, flair, and finishing put him on a trajectory for greatness. Yet despite constant nominations, he’s never lifted the Ballon d’Or. At just 26, there’s still time—but with rising stars and fierce competition, nothing is guaranteed. Will he join Messi and Ronaldo in immortality, or stay on this list forever?
Neymar
Brazil’s golden boy. Neymar was once touted as the heir to Messi and Ronaldo, dazzling fans with skill, flair, and decisive goals. At Barcelona, he was sensational alongside Messi and Suárez. At PSG, he carried the weight of expectation. Injuries, controversies, and timing robbed him of Ballon d’Or glory—but at his best, few players were more electric.
Wayne Rooney
An England great and Manchester United’s warrior forward. Rooney could do it all: thunderous goals, defence-splitting passes, tireless running. At his peak, he was among the best in the world, but he played in an era dominated by Messi and Ronaldo. His Ballon d’Or dream died in their shadow, but his legacy at club and country remains undeniable.
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool’s Egyptian King has redefined consistency at the highest level. Golden Boots, record-breaking goal tallies, and starring in a Champions League triumph – all while inspiring a generation back home. Salah once again underlined his elite status by finishing fourth in this year’s Ballon d’Or. Yet the ultimate prize continues to elude him, leaving many to wonder what more he must do. Perhaps another Champions League or Premier League title could finally tip the scales in his favor.
Luis Suárez
The streetfighter of world football. Suárez combined tenacity with clinical brilliance, terrorizing defences at Ajax, Liverpool, and Barcelona. At Liverpool, he dragged a flawed team into a title race. At Barça, he was part of the MSN trio that shredded Europe. His goals and fight defined an era, but Ballon d’Or voters were never ready to put him above Messi and Ronaldo.
Xavi Hernández
Barcelona’s conductor, Spain’s general, and the very definition of a midfield maestro. Xavi turned passing into an art form, dictating tempo and dismantling opponents with precision. Spain’s golden generation doesn’t exist without him. Yet when individual awards came around, Messi and Ronaldo stole the spotlight. Xavi’s greatness is measured in trophies and influence, not golden balls.
The Maradona Debate: A Ballon d’Or Injustice?
And then there’s Diego Maradona. Many assume he must have won a Ballon d’Or—but here’s the twist: until 1995, only European players were eligible. That meant the Argentine genius – arguably the greatest ever – wasn’t even considered during his prime.
- Before 1995: The award was officially the European Footballer of the Year, excluding icons like Pelé and Maradona.
- 1995 – A Historic Shift: The rules changed, opening eligibility to all players at European clubs.
- George Weah’s Landmark Win: That same year, AC Milan’s George Weah became the first non-European – and the first African – to lift the trophy.
Now picture Maradona in 1986, carrying Argentina to a World Cup in the most iconic performance in football history. Or leading Napoli to glory in Serie A against all odds. If eligibility rules had been different, it’s certain El Diego would have collected multiple Ballon d’Ors. His absence remains the award’s greatest injustice.
Legends Without the Golden Ball
The Ballon d’Or is football’s most glittering prize – but as this list shows, it’s far from perfect. From Maldini to Henry, Iniesta to Lewandowski, and from Kane to Salah, the game’s history is packed with legends who never lifted it. And while Ousmane Dembélé’s 2025 triumph will be debated for years, it’s also a reminder: sometimes the golden ball doesn’t tell the full story of greatness.
Who do you think is the greatest player never to win the Ballon d’Or?