10 great players who never won the Ballon d’Or

#4 Xavi

Xavi was a key part of Pep Guardiola's great Barcelona team

Xavi is a man who has suffered from Messi and Ronaldo’s dominance of the Ballon d’Or in recent years. He spent 17 years in Barcelona’s first team, during which he proved himself as one of the best centre midfielders ever to play the game. His ability to dictate the tempo of a game was magnificent, and one which was crucial during Barcelona’s dominance of European football, particularly during the reign of Pep Guardiola.

Because of this, the list of titles won by Xavi in his career in pretty extraordinary. He finished his Barcelona career with eight La Liga winners medals, four Champions League titles, and numerous domestic trophies. He was also part of Spain’s golden era, winning two European Championships, and the 2010 World Cup. He wasn’t far off winning the Ballon d’Or, coming third in three consecutive years from 2009, all three of which were won by Messi.