5 Ballon d'Or winners who never won the Champions League
Arguably the most prestigious individual award in football, the Ballon d'Or has been won by some of the biggest names to have played the game.
The criteria for choosing the winner varies. Winning Europe's premier club competition, the UEFA Champions League, is considered by many to be an important step on the road to the Ballon d'Or.
However, over the years, there have been some superstars who have won the Ballon d'Or but have failed to lift the Champions League trophy. In some cases, these players have won multiple Ballon d'Ors and even World Cups, but the Champions League has remained tantalizingly out of reach.
We look at five Ballon d'Or winners who never won the Champions League during their career.
#5 George Weah
The only African player to win the Ballon d'Or, George Weah is considered by many to be one of the greatest players not to win the Champions League.
The Liberia international made his name at AS Monaco, where Arsene Wenger played an important role in his development. Technically gifted and an excellent finisher, Weah joined Paris Saint-Germain in 1992, where he won the Ligue 1 and the Coupe de la Ligue titles.
In 1995, he moved to AC Milan. Weah was a consistent goalscorer in his prime and won two Serie A titles with the Rossonerri. His performances led to him winning the Ballon d'Or in 1995. After stints with Chelsea, Manchester City and Marseille, the forward retired in 2003. Weah is currently the President of Liberia.
#4 Lothar Matthaus
Lothar Matthaus enjoyed an excellent career at the very top and represented some of the biggest clubs in world football.
Matthaus began his professional career with Borussia Monchengladbach and joined Bayern Munich in 1984. Regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, the Germany international was renowned for his passing and goalscoring ability. Matthaus earned 150 caps for Germany, scoring 23 goals. He also amassed 410 appearances for Bayern, scoring 100 goals and assisting a further 50.
He enjoyed two spells with Bayern Munich, with four seasons with Inter Milan sandwiched between them. Matthaus won seven Bundesliga titles and one Serie A title during that period, though he could not win the Champions League. The midfielder won the Ballon d'Or in 1990.
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