10 Ballon d’Or unlucky ones
10 Ballon d’Or unlucky ones
Posted: 2009-11-24 22:11
The Top 10 players never to have won the Ballon d'Or (European Player of the Year) award since the change of rules in 1995 that allowed non-European players to be eligible to lift the trophy...
10) Davor Suker
Prolific former Croatian striker who twice should have been in the running – in 1996 and 1998 where his goals led his country to the quarterfinal and semifinal of the European Championships and World Cup respectively – losing out to the eventual winners on both occasions. With 45 strikes in 69 appearances for Croatia, and goals galore for the likes of Dinamo Zagreb, Sevilla and Real Madrid, Suker was one of the best hitmen of his generation. He came close to the Ballon d'Or in 98, but finished second to Ronaldo.
9) Peter Schmeichel
Although Rivaldo lifted the Golden Ball in 1999, many people felt that Peter Schmeichel was the worthy recipient. The big Dane didn’t even finish in the Top 3 that year, but he had been inspirational during Manchester United’s Champions League success. Particularly in the Final in Barcelona, where his heroics prevented Bayern taking a two-goal lead before United’s dramatic late comeback. The year of 1999 was the height of a brilliant club and international career for Schmeichel, who was also crucial in Denmark’s shock Euro ’92 victory. Arguably the best goalkeeper of the 1990s, but no Ballon d’Or to show for it.
8) Raul
Raul has scored in both the triumphant Champions League finals of which he was part, is the all-time leading scorer in that competition, Madrid's all-time leading scorer, Spain’s all-time leading scorer (and outfield appearance maker), climbing the all-time La Liga goalscorers chart and much, much more. Despite being named UEFA Club Forward Of The Year three times in a row in 2000, 2001 and 2002, Raul only managed the Silver Ball in the middle of those seasons. Being beaten to the line by Liverpool’s Michael Owen is one of the Ballon d’Or crimes of the century.
7) Oliver Kahn
Although he lost out to Jens Lehmann for the number one spot in the Germany team for the 2006 World Cup, there is no doubt that Kahn was one of the world’s best goalkeepers during the past 10-15 years. The Bayern legend amassed 86 caps for his country and was the outstanding performer at the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea, where he almost singlehandedly dragged Germany to the Final. He won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball, the Lev Yashin Award, and was voted into the All-Star team on the back of his World Cup displays. At the turn of the millennium, he was the best shot-stopper on the planet, but the closest Kahn came to the Ballon d’Or was successive third places in 2001 and 2002.
6) Alessandro Nesta
Certainly the most naturally talented defender of this decade – when Nesta was fully fit, there was no-one better. Unbeatable in almost every department, Nesta won every major team honour in the game in the noughties apart from Euro 2000, a trophy he was seconds away from winning. Milan's two Champions League crowns in 2003 and 2007 can be largely attributed to Nesta, who was immaculate in the final wins over Juventus and Liverpool respectively. Like Lilian Thuram, Nesta never even finished in the Top 3 for the Ballon d’Or.
5) Lilian Thuram
Quite probably the best French stopper of all time, Thuram was the perfect defensive specimen. Possessing lightning speed and bull-like strength, hewas tactically intelligent, a superb tackler and a real leader. Won multiple honours with Juventus and France, including Euro 2000, excelling both at right-back and in his favoured centre-back role. As he hit his mid-thirties he endured a couple of mixed seasons with Barcelona, as well as an under-par Euro 2008, but this could not overshadow the achievements that had arrived before.
4) Cafu
Not so much a right-back as a nuclear-powered high-speed intercontinental super train with a grin on its face. Six relentlessly impressive seasons with Roma were followed by five almost as consistent years at the San Siro and Cafu was able to retire safe in the knowledge that there has not been a better right-sided wing-back anywhere in the world in the last 10 years. Internationally, he was a leader as he captained his country to 2002 World Cup success. With 142 caps, Cafu is Brazil’s most capped player, and he also picked up a World Cup winners medal in 1994. Never even considered for the Ballon d’Or though.
3) Gianluigi Buffon
The best goalkeeper of his generation by quite some distance, there is every chance that Buffon will go down in history as the greatest shot-stopper of all time. A major protagonist during Italy's 2006 World Cup success, Buffon became the most expensive goalkeeper in the world in 2001 when he transferred from Parma to Juventus for €52 million. He won four Scudetti with the Bianconeri, although two of these were revoked due to Calciopoli. A true match-winner for club and country, and perfect in almost every goalkeeping department, aside from saving penalties – possibly his only weakness. Buffon finished second in the Golden Ball race in 2006.
2) Thierry Henry
Arsenal's greatest goalscorer of all-time, France's greatest goalscorer of all time, Arsenal's best forward in history, one of France's best forwards in history. A lightning-paced striker, who was unstoppable when cutting in from the left, Henry scored 226 goals in just 370 games for Arsenal, and was their main man in the legendary Invincibles season of 2003-04. Two Premier League titles, as well as a treble of a Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey in an outstanding second season at Barcelona last term - Henry has now won every major honour in the game, barring the Club World Cup he can win next month. Henry was also a star at Euro 2000, but incredibly he has never won the Ballon d’Or.
1) Paolo Maldini
What is there left to say about the extraordinary career of the greatest left-back in the history of the game? Having spent his entire club career in the red and black No 3 shirt, Maldini spent a record-breaking 25 years in the first team. In that time, he won seven Serie A championships, one Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana, five Champions Leagues, five European Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups and one FIFA World Club Cup. Tragically, he never won the Ballon d’Or, which will go down as one of football's greatest mysteries. The closest Maldini came was third place in 1994 and 2003, and the Italian certainly paid the price for the tendency to give the prize to attacking players.
The 30-man shortlist for the 2009 award:
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Maicon (Inter Milan)
Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)
Diego (Juventus)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona)
Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)
Thierry Henry (Barcelona)
Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg)
Xavi (Barcelona)
Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux)
Yaya Toure (Barcelona)
Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal)
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Kaka (Real Madrid)
John Terry (Chelsea)
Luis Fabiano (Sevilla)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
David Villa (Valencia)
Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid)
Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)
Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan)
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Julio Cesar (Inter Milan)
Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
Have you discussed this topic on Team KICK OFF? Click Here...
Comment on this article:
TERMS OF USE: The comments posted below do not reflect the views of KickOff.com. Users are reminded that no misuse of this comment facility will be tolerated. Any abusive, racist or inflammatory comments will be deleted and the user banned. Please report abusive posts to editor@kickoff.com