This lot can count themselves unlucky
With only one Ballon d’Or given out each year, some pretty good players can miss out. Some are unlucky enough to never win the award, despite the fact that had they been around during a different generation they might have gained it multiple times.
Here are 10 of the most notable players to have never been given prize…
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Andres Iniesta
The FC Barcelona legend has been unlucky to have his feats go under the radar due to the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in his era.
His best ever position has been second in 2010, and it is expected that that will stay his best.
If he had been born 10 years earlier who knows how many awards he may have won.
Thierry Henry
Possibly the finest striker to have ever played in the Premier League and part of the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ side, Henry has missed out on the top personal award.
Even as both the Gunners’ and France’s highest all time goalscorers his best finish was second in 2004.
Paolo Maldini
The Italian won 26 trophies over 25 seasons with AC Milan and is widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation.
Unfortunately the award for best player tends to go to those who play in the final third, and so Maldini has missed out.
Raul
A Real Madrid legend and once one of the top strikers in Europe, Raul is another to have never won the most prestigious award of them all.
Still just about the record holder for the most goals in the Champions League, he came second to Michael Owen in 2001.
Francesco Totti
The second highest ever scorer in Serie A and still going at 38-years-old, the Italian has never won the Ballon d’Or.
During his 22 years with AS Roma he has 293 goals in 716 appearances.
Ferenc Puskas
The man who the goal of the year award is named after has never won a Ballon d’Or despite being one of the best players of his generation – 84 goals in 85 appearances for Hungary are a testament to how good he actually was.
Gianluigi Buffon
It is almost impossible for a goalkeeper to win a major award, with Lev Yashin the only to manage it in 1963.
However Buffon has come very close, grabbing second in 2006 just behind his compatriot Fabio Cannavaro.
Steven Gerrard
Captain of Liverpool for over a decade now and inspiring them to a Champions League along the way in 2005, the former England skipper has never won the biggest personal prize.
This is despite being one of the best midfielders in the world for most of his career.
Xavi
Another Barcelona star to have missed out due to being part of an unbelievable generation of players, the Spain legend has only made three third placed finishes for the top prize in 2009, 2010, and 2011.
Alan Shearer
The former England skipper is still the highest ever Premier League scorer with over 70 more than anyone else has ever scored.
Third in 1996 was the best he managed in the Ballon d’Or, his exploits overshadowed by the original Ronaldo.