5 greatest players never to have won the Ballon d'Or
The Ballon d'Or is an annual award bestowed by France Football on the standout player for club and country. First introduced in 1956, players from all over the world are eligible for the award.
Over the years, many world-class players have won the Ballon d'Or award, with some of them doing so on multiple occasions. Lionel Messi won a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or award this year, going two clear of the next most successful player, Cristiano Ronaldo.
HERE IS THE WINNER!
SEVEN BALLON D’OR FOR LIONEL MESSI!
#ballondor https://t.co/U2SywJmruC
However, the Ballon d'Or award has proven elusive to many top players, despite consistent performances for club and country. On that note, here's a look at the five best players who have not won the Ballon d'Or award:
#5 Kenny Dalglish (1983 Ballon d'Or runner-up)
Kenny Dalglish was one of the top players for club and country during his playing days in the 70s and 80s.
The Liverpool legend won many trophies during his club career. He notched up 12 leagues titles - eight with The Reds and four with Celtic, among others. Dalglish finished behind Frenchman Michel Platini in the 1983 Ballon d'Or standings.
All seven of @LFC PFA Player Of The Year Winners.
Terry McDermott 1979-80 🥇
Kenny Dalglish 1982-83 🥇
Ian Rush 1983-84 🥇
John Barnes 1987-88 🥇
Steven Gerrard 2005-06 🥇
Luis Suárez 2013-14 🥇
Mohamed Salah 2017-18 🥇 https://t.co/MEbXxmyMk9
Despite his diminutive stature, Dalglish scored nearly 200 goals in one of Liverpool's most prosperous periods in their illustrious history. The 70-year-later delved into management, but wasn't as successful as he was on the other side of the touchline.
#4 Paolo Maldini (two-time Ballon d'Or podium finisher)
Paolo Maldini is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the history of the game. During a long distinguished club career, the one-club man made over 900 appearances across all competitions for AC Milan.
He won seven league titles and five European Cups with Milan, three of them in the Champions League era. He also played a key role in Italy reaching the 1994 FIFA World Cup and 2000 European Championship finals.
Maldini finished on the Ballon d'Or podium for his exploits in Milan's European wins in 1994 and 2003, finishing third on both occasions. Now a technical director at Milan, the 53-year-old is one of the best players Never to have won the Ballon d'Or award.
In fact, no defender has won the Ballon d'Or award since Maldini's younger compatriot Fabio Cannavaro in 2006. Sergio Ramos came close in 2015 but was eventually ousted by his PSG t team-mate Lionel Messi.