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The UEFA Champions League finally returned this week after a two-month break.
Liverpool and Manchester City won their respective fixtures comfortably, while Paris Saint-Germain beat Real Madrid 1-0. The performances of Bernardo Silva, Marco Verratti and Mohamed Camara stood out as all three midfielders put in wonderful shifts.
Playing in midfield requires immense technical ability. As the center of the field is often crowded, midfielders are expected to play well under pressure by facilitating the ball. They are required to move the ball up the pitch as well as track back to help out the defense on a regular basis.
A lethal forward can score goals and a potent defense can keep a clean sheet, but a game of football is often won in midfield.
Successful Champions League sides are built on a strong midfield
Over the last couple of decades, teams with world-class midfields like Barcelona and Real Madrid have dominated the Champions League. Midfield maestros such as Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Luka Modric have won the continental crown on multiple occasions.
With that being said, some top-notch midfielders have failed to win it even once. This article will discuss the five best midfielders who didn’t win the Champions League.
#5 David Silva
David Silva is undoubtedly one of the best Premier League midfielders of the 2010s. The Spanish international won a plethora of trophies during an illustrious career. Manchester City grew in prominence courtesy of quality players such as Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and Silva.
A four-time Premier League winner, Silva was also part of the Spain squad that won the Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2012. Despite enjoying so much success for both club and country, the pass master couldn’t add a Champions League medal to his trophy collection.
At 36, Silva is currently earning his bread at Real Sociedad in La Liga. Although he hasn’t retired yet, it is unlikely that the attacking midfielder will win the Champions League before he hangs his boots. Nevertheless, El Mago will be fondly remembered as a Manchester City and Spain legend.
#4 Pavel Nedved
Pavel Nedved was one of the best players in his position during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Capable of playing equally efficiently as a wide midfielder or attacking midfielder, the Czech hero was known for his pinpoint crossing and precise shooting abilities.
After coming into the limelight in his home country with Sparta Prague, Nedved earned a move to Serie A side Lazio in 1996. Juventus spent a fortune of around €45 million to obtain his services in 2001. That’s how highly he was rated in Italy.
Juventus reached the 2003 Champions League final but were beaten by AC Milan on penalties. Nedved’s contributions didn’t go unnoticed, however, as he was awarded the Ballon d’Or for his exemplary displays. The Old Lady veteran is now the Vice Chairman of the Bianconeri.
#3 Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack was another world-class midfielder who didn't win the Champions League. In fact, the German was one of the most unlucky players in the game's history.
In 2002, he lost the DFB Pokal final, FIFA World Cup final and Champions League final. To make matters worse, his Bayer Leverkusen side were overtaken by Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on the last day.
Ballack left Bayern Munich, who he joined in 2002, to join Chelsea in 2006. Although he found success domestically with the Blues, his woes in Europe continued. The Little Kaiser lost the Champions League final and the Euro final in 2008. Overall, he lost six finals in a relatively successful career.
The former Bayer Leverkusen talisman came close to capturing the UCL winners medal on a couple of occasions, but luck wasn't on his side. With that being said, Ballack still had a highly successful career, winning 13 titles at club level. This included a Premier League title, three FA Cups, three Bundesliga titles and three DFB-Pokals.
#2 Lothar Matthaus
While Ballack was an excellent midfielder for Germany, Lothar Matthaus was simply the best. The former Bayern Munich stalwart won numerous accolades and is one of the best midfielders of all time. His longevity is especially noteworthy as he featured in five different FIFA World Cups for Germany.
Matthaus won seven Bundesliga titles and three DFB-Pokals with Bayern Munich as well as a World Cup and European Championship with Germany. However, despite boasting a stacked trophy cabinet with 20 major trophies, the German maestro never won the Champions League.
Matthaus finished as runner-up in the 1986-87 European Cup final and the 1998-99 Champions League final, both times with Bayern Munich.
But the 1990 Ballon d'Or winner was a once-in-a-generation footballer. Although he didn't win the premier European club competition, his achievements in the game are there for all to see.
#1 Diego Maradona
The late Diego Maradona, along with Pele, was the best player of the 20th century. The Argentine is still highly regarded as one of the greatest individuals to ever kick the ball. El Pibe de Oro was primarily deployed as an attacking midfielder, although he could easily play as a second striker.
Apart from his exploits for Argentina in international football, Maradona was a sublime player at club level. Napoli and Barcelona were two of the clubs where the Argentinean legend shined.
It is also worth noting that, unlike the players on this list, Maradona barely played in the Champions League.
The 5’5” forward just took part twice in the UCL, which was known as the European Cup back then. Napoli were nowhere near good enough to challenge for Europe’s elite honor though Maradona did help them secure the UEFA Cup.
He ended his career with cup successes in Spain and Italy, a Serie A title and a FIFA World Cup win with Argentina.
