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The joy associated with winning a trophy is extremely wonderful, but winning an international trophy is an ineffable feeling. It shows how competent the team and individual are, both nationally and internationally.
In football, the eminence of players is also measured by the number of trophies won, especially international trophies. However, some prolific players are currently victims of this predicament.
Here, we shall be going through a Greatest XI of players without an international trophy.
#1 Goalkeeper : Keylor Navas
Keylor Navas is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He is a member of Real Madrid's Champions League three-peat squad. He played a monumental role in those victories but most notably in the 2017-18 Champions League season. That's where he earned the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award and was included in the squad of the tournament.
Navas moved to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2019 where he made the Champions League Final for the fourth time in five years. But this time around, he finished with the runners-up medal after a defeat to Bayern Munich.
The Puerto Rican's best international outing was at the 2014 World Cup, where his sensational saves took his side to a historic quarterfinal stage. But they got eliminated by the Netherlands via a penalty shoot-out.
#2 Centre-back : Virgil Van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk is considered one of the world's most prolific defenders. He is renowned for his aerial abilities. Van Dijk is among the driving forces that made Liverpool what it is at the moment, after years without a trophy.
Van Dijk played an important role in Liverpool's historic maiden Premier League triumph. He has also won the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, Super Cup, and EFL Cup.
He finished second in the Ballon d'Or rankings in 2019 after a brilliant performance in the Champions League, where he was named the Defender of the Tournament.
The Dutchman's best international outing was at the UEFA Nations League, where he won the runners-up medal in the Finals against Portugal.
#3 Centre-back : Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand was arguably one of the greatest defenders of his generation. He is renowned for his partnership with Nemanja Vidic in the Premier League.
Ferdinand was a key member of Manchester United during their glory days. In that period, he won a total of six Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two EFL Cups, the Champions League, and FIFA Club World Cup. He also doubles as one of England's most decorated of all time.
Ferdinand's most memorable international outing was at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, where his side reached the quarterfinals stage.
#4 Right-back : Javier Zanetti
Javier Zanetti was one of the greatest defenders of his time. He was known for his versatility in playing multiple roles.
Zanetti was also renowned for spending almost two decades with Inter Milan, where he holds the record for the most appearances. He is decorated with 16 titles, which includes the Champions League.
Zanetti was a member of the Inter Milan treble winning squad in 2009-10.The Argentine was unlucky as he came close to winning an international trophy on several occasions but always fell short. He won the runners-up medal at the 2004 and 2007 Copa America and also at the 1995 and 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup.
#5 Left back : Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is renowned for playing for two of the best clubs in the Premier League, Arsenal and Chelsea.
During his time at Arsenal, he was an integral part of 'The Invicibles' who went undefeated on course to winning the Premier League title in the 2003-04 season.
Two years later, Cole joined Chelsea where he finally earned his Champions League title after missing out on it in 2004, in a thrilling Final against Barcelona. He holds the record for the most FA Cup titles won by any player. The Englishman's best international outing success was reaching the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
#6 Attacking midfielder : Luka Modric
One of the most distinguished midfielders of his generation, Luka Modric is the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner. He is also a member of Real Madrid's prestigious three-peat Champions League squad where he played a major role.
Modric also helped in Real Madrid's 'La Decima' Champions League triumph back in 2014. He is decorated with 17 major trophies. Modric is comfortable being an attacking midfielder or defensive midfielder despite his original role as a central midfielder.
The Croatian's closest chance of winning an international trophy came at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he led his team to a remarkable runners-up finish. They lost in the Final against France.
7 Defensive midfielder : Claude Makelele
Claude Makelele is renowned for redefining the role of a defensive midfielder in the Premier League due to his deep playmaking prowess.
Makelele's illustrious career involved him playing for some of the biggest clubs across Europe, notably Real Madrid, Chelsea and PSG. It was at PSG that he won quite a handful of trophies including the Champions League and Premier League.
The Frenchman's journey of finally winning an international trophy was halted after losing to Italy at the 2006 World Cup Final.
#8 Central midfielder : Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is widely regarded as one of the noblest midfielders of all time. He is also renowned for his partnership with Frank Ribery at Bayern Munich.
Robben played for four clubs during his active days. These included PSV, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, where he gained a total of 30 titles, making him one of the most decorated players of all time.
Robben won the league title with each of the clubs mentioned earlier, but most importantly, he won the Champions League title with Bayern.
The Dutchman's quest for an international trophy came to a climax when he retired internationally in 2017 after his team was unable to qualify for the upcoming World Cup. He was the second and third-placed finisher in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, respectively.
#9 Left winger : Franck Ribery
Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben's combination was a force to be reckoned with in the European league circuit.
Ribery won the Champions League with Bayern in 2013. His amazing performances that season saw him finish third in the Ballon d'Or rankings behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Ribery is decorated with 25 titles, 23 with Bayern Munich.
The Frenchman was a runner-up in the 2006 World Cup. Reaching the Final of that tournament was his best international outing ever.
#10 Right winger : Mohamed Salah
Two-time African Footballer of the Year, Mohamed Salah is currently the highest-scoring African in Premier League history. He is regarded as one of the best players in the world.
Salah is also among the driving forces in Liverpool's success story today. He holds the record for the most goals scored in a 38-game Premier League season with 32 goals. The Egyptian star is adorned with the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Premier League, and the EFL Cup titles.
Salah's near moments in search of international honor came at the 2017 and 2021 AFCON tournament, where his team qualified for the Finals but ultimately lost.
#11 Centre forward : Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is currently the oldest active player on the list, is regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time. He is also embellished with 33 trophies, including tons of league titles with Serie A, La Liga, and Ligue one.
Zlatan's most notable trophy is the UEFA Europa League, which he won as a Manchester United player. He has played for quite a number of successful clubs like Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, PSG, Inter Milan, and Ajax. Zlatan finished fourth in the 2013 Ballon d'Or rankings.
The Swede's best international outing was at the 2004 European Championships, where his side ended their campaign in the semi-finals.
