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Winning trophies is a very important part of football. Granted, there's a lot more to 'the beautiful game' than trophies. The fans, the excitement, the heartbreaks, the goals, the trickery, the scuffles, the quarrels and the losses are all very much a part of it. But football would be much less exciting if the ultimate goal wasn't to be competitive.
To stay competitive, the ultimate motive has to be to win and keep winning. If a team makes winning a habit, then they will eventually end up with a lot of trophies. Winning trophies at the highest level doesn't come easy.
Not only do teams need top talent on their side but they also need to figure out a way to get them all playing well together. At the end of the day, football is a team sport. Trophies can't be won by one individual.
On that note, let's take a look at five amazing players who are yet to win a major trophy in their career.
#5 Dele Alli (England/Tottenham Hotspur)
Not long back, Dele Alli was being touted as the next big thing in English football. He had exquisite technique, vision and excellent playmaking abilities which made him a regular starter for Tottenham Hotspur under Mauricio Pochettino.
However, Jose Mourinho's entry into the fray led to Alli being cast out of the team. Not only did Mourinho not succeed at Tottenham, he failed to improve the players on the side and Alli was one of the worst hit.
The PFA Young Player of the Year for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons is now in a race against time to impress new boss Nuno Espirito Santos. The England international will need to re-establish himself now. Alli is now 25-years-old and is yet to win a major trophy for both club and country.
#4 Harry Maguire (England/Manchester United)
Harry Maguire is one of the best centre-backs in Europe right now. The 28-year-old has felt the pressure of his hefty £80 million price tag since joining Manchester United but has been a signing who has improved the team.
The Manchester United captain is a good ball-winner and is also great with his distribution. His progressive passing is crucial to the Red Devils building from the back and fans are excited to see how effective his partnership with Raphael Varane will be.
For all his hard work and efficiency, Maguire is yet to win a major trophy in his career. Manchester United lost the final of the 2020-21 UEFA Europa League in Harry Maguire's absence. Fans and pundits shared the opinion that the result could have been different had the centre-back not been sidelined with an injury.
Maguire also lost the Euro 2020 final with the England national team this summer but was lauded for his performances at the tournament.
#3 Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey/Inter Milan)
Midfield maestro Hakan Calhanoglu swapped AC Milan for Inter Milan this summer. The Turkish international played for Bundesliga clubs Hamburger SV and Bayer Leverkusen before joining AC Milan in 2017. He spent four years with the Serie A giants before securing a switch to arch-rivals Inter Milan.
However, Calhanoglu is yet to come anywhere close to a trophy in his professional career and it's quite disappointing for a player of his quality. This could very well be the reason why Calhanoglu decided to join reigning Serie A champions Inter Milan.
However, sadly for the 27-year-old, Inter Milan have been navigating a financial crisis of sorts. They've had to part ways with manager Antonio Conte and star striker Romelu Lukaku, two of the most influential figures in their 2020-21 Serie A triumph.
#2 Jack Grealish (England/Manchester City)
Jack Grealish is one of the best playmakers in the Premier League and he has been phenomenal for Aston Villa. Grealish played a huge role in Villa gaining promotion to the Premier League in the 2019-20 season. He was also their best player as they survived the drop that season by a whisker.
Having played for a relatively small club like Villa, it is understandable that Grealish doesn't have a major trophy to his name. He came quite close this summer and was an important member of the England squad that made it to the final of Euro 2020.
Manchester City have made Jack Grealish their most expensive signing of all time. They shelled out £100 million to sign him and the 25-year-old might not remain without a major trophy for much longer.
#1 Harry Kane (England/Tottenham Hotspur)
A player of Harry Kane's quality ought to be at least knee deep in trophies. Unfortunately for him, he plays for Tottenham Hotspur and they haven't been in the trophy-winning business for more than a decade.
Reports suggest that the trophy drought is turning Kane into a bit of a mercenary as he tries to force a move for Manchester City. Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy, however, is averse to the idea of losing the club's star man as despite the financial gains, it will set the club back.
Much like Grealish and Maguire, Kane played a starring role in England's run to the final of Euro 2020. But even that ended in heartbreak and Kane, one of the best strikers of his generation, continues to be without a major trophy.
