Winning the Ballon d’Or is the ultimate individual honour in football, but some of the greatest players of all time never got their hands on it. Here’s a look at 10 modern legends who missed out.
10. Zlatan Ibrahimović
Closest season: 2013
The charismatic big Swede scored goals wherever he went, and won league titles in Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands. From backheels to volleys, overhead kicks to solo runs, Ibrahimović always had some magic up his sleeve. Whilst he never won the Champions League or any international silverware, he firmly established himself on the biggest stage.
Ibra scored 47 goals for PSG, including a memorable four against Anderlecht in the Champions League. His fourth place in the Ballon d’Or was the highest of his long career, despite being nominated 11 times.
PSG’s lack of Champions League success was always going to restrict Ibrahimovic’s chances of success in the Messi and Ronaldo era.
9. Sergio Ramos
Closest season: 2017
The man for big moments. Few defenders in history combine the same level of leadership, defensive prowess and knack for delivering when it mattered the most. Ramos captained Real Madrid to four Champions League titles, scoring the decisive 93rd minute equaliser in the 2014 Champions League final against city rivals Atlético Madrid.
Ramos’ highest Ballon d’Or ranking came in 2017, when he came in 6th behind Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Buffon and Modrić. The Spaniard played a vital role in Madrid’s Champions League and La Liga double.
Only three centre backs (Beckenbauer, Cannavaro and Sammer) have ever won the Ballon d’Or. Ramos spent most of his peak years alongside Ronaldo who took most of the spotlight from Madrid’s European dominance.
8. Robert Lewandowski
Closest season: 2020
Arguably one of the most complete strikers of all time, Lewandowski had the movement, finishing and intelligence to score in every situation. It was at Bayern Munich that Lewandowski hit his prime, delivering multiple seasons with 40+ goals in an era of complete domestic domination for the Bavarian giants.
The Pole was perhaps the most unfortunate not to win the Ballon d’Or as it was factors outside of football that prevented him from winning. Having scored 55 goals in a campaign that saw Bayern win the treble, he was the undoubted favourite to win.
The Ballon d’Or was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, denying Lewandowski what should have been a well-deserved individual trophy. It was the first time since 1956 that the trophy was not awarded.
7. Toni Kroos
Closest season: 2014
Kroos is widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, if not all time. The German was calm under pressure and controlled the tempo of every team he played in. His ability to hit a first time diagonal ball unlocked many a stubborn defence.
Toni Kroos was a strong contender in 2014, having won the World Cup with Germany and secured a high-status move to Real Madrid in the summer.
Ronaldo scored 61 goals in the calendar year, helping Real Madrid to win La Décima. Germany’s World Cup win was seen as an impressive team effort rather than as a result of individual brilliance.
6. Xavi
Closest season: 2010
Xavi was the metronome of Barcelona and Spain. He controlled the rhythm, set the pace and made sure everything ticked smoothly. Xavi was always one step ahead, always in control. The midfielder was essential to Spain’s three major tournament wins in a row, as well as Barcelona’s most dominant era.
Xavi, along with many of his teammates, won both the World Cup for Spain and La Liga with Barcelona. Whilst he didn’t dominate in the goals and assists department, he was central to both teams’ success.
A familiar story – Xavi’s brilliance was overshadowed by Messi in his prime. Xavi finished third with 16.48% of the vote in 2010, behind his Barcelona teammates Messi and Iniesta.
5. Luis Suárez
Closest season: 2016
Suárez was simply brilliant to watch. He could score from anywhere, fought for every ball and would find passes that few strikers would even try. Throughout his time at Ajax, Liverpool and Barcelona, he consistently delivered incredible goalscoring returns. In the 2015 -16 season, the Uruguayan outscored both Messi and Ronaldo in La Liga.
Suárez scored 59 goals in 53 games across all competitions for Barcelona, as well as providing 18 assists. It was a successful league season for Barca, although they were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Atlético Madrid.
Despite Suárez’s phenomenal season, his success was overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo firing Real Madrid to an 11th Champions League and Portugal to their first ever international trophy at Euro 2016. Ballon d’Or voting has historically placed significant weight upon international trophies.
4. Thierry Henry
Closest season: 2003
It is easy to forget just how good Henry was, he redefined what it meant to be a striker. Quick, intelligent and technical, Henry made scoring look easy. The Frenchman played a key role in the Invincibles season and was consistently one of the top strikers in the world. In the opinion of many Premier League fans, Henry is still the greatest player ever to grace the league.
Scoring 32 goals and racking up 28 assists in all competitions wasn’t enough for Henry to come out on top in the Ballon d’Or rankings, coming second behind Pavel Nedvěd.
Arsenal performed poorly in Europe, only reaching the Second group stage of the Champions League. This, combined with their second place finish in the league, was enough to see Pavel Nedvěd preferred, who had been instrumental in Juventus’ league victory and Champions League campaign.
3. Kylian Mbappé
Closest season: 2022
Almost certainly the only player on this list who still stands a chance of eventually winning the Ballon d’Or. Mbappé, still only 26, has already won the World Cup, multiple domestic trophies and scored over 300 career goals. His raw pace is electric, but it is his composure, finishing and decision-making that sets him apart. Having broken through as a wonderkid at Monaco, Mbappé firmly established himself amongst the world’s best at PSG but as of yet has not won the top individual honour.
Mbappé was the top scorer at the World Cup and scored a hat-trick in the final, but his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or were thwarted by Messi’s fairytale story with Argentina.
Similar to Neymar, Mbappé’s best moments have been overshadowed. The reputation of Ligue 1 in his time at PSG, coupled with their struggles in the Champions League didn’t help. His time might still come.
2. Neymar
Closest season: 2015
Neymar was electric in his prime. The Brazilian winger was unstoppable, delivering goals, assists and big-game moments. He was an equal partner in the deadly MSN trio alongside Suarez and Messi. Whilst his career at the top didn’t have the longevity that many would have hoped for, at his best he was rightfully in contention for the Ballon d’Or.
39 goals and 10 assists in a treble-winning season were not enough to award Neymar the Ballon d’Or, in fact he only came third behind you guessed it: Messi and Ronaldo.
The timing hurt Neymar. Messi and Ronaldo were still in their untouchable prime. No shame in being ‘the best of the rest’.
1. Andrés Iniesta
Closest season: 2010
Iniesta made football look easy. He was the brain behind Barcelona’s golden era and Spain’s international dominance. Gliding past midfielders, threading the ball through defences and always delivering when it mattered most. Legendary performances in the 2009 Champions League semi-final against Chelsea and in the 2010 World Cup final cemented Iniesta’s status as one of the most respected players of his generation.
Off the back of his winning goal in the World Cup final and a brilliant season for Barca, many were tipping Iniesta to pick up the top prize. As is common on this list, he missed out to the little Argentinian magician.
Iniesta was never a player who relied upon stats, returning just 1 league goal and 5 assists in the 2009 / 10 season. His subtle influence was easy to overlook next to Messi’s superhuman goalscoring exploits.
The Ballon d’Or remains as football’s most prestigious individual award, but it has never told the full story. Players like Henry, Xavi and Suárez have defined eras, dominated on the biggest stages and left lasting legacies without lifting the famous golden ball.
Some players were unlucky to hit their peak in the Messi and Ronaldo era, whilst others, notably Robert Lewandowski, were just straight up unlucky not to win. Others were victims of timing, team success or just playing in the unglamorous roles that voters don’t always reward.
As we look ahead to this year’s Ballon d’Or, the race feels more open than it has in a long time. With Messi now at Inter Miami and Ronaldo out in Saudi Arabia, a new generation is stepping up. Here’s who we believe should win the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
