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The Ballon d'Or is one of football's oldest, most prestigious and renowned individual awards. Each calendar year, it is awarded to the best performing player across football competitions worldwide.
The prestigious award was first introduced in 1956 by the French Football Federation (FFF) for European players only. The late Sir Stanley Matthews of Blackpool FC was the first recipient of the award. The rules were amended in 1996, and players with other origins playing in Europe were deemed eligible, too. Since 2007, players worldwide have been eligible to receive the award irrespective of their league or nationality.
There have also been several players who have won the Ballon d'Or award in back-to-back years. They include the likes of Johan Cruyff (Barcelona), Kevin Keegan (Hamburger), Michel Platini (Juventus), Marco van Basten (AC Milan) and more recently, Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) and Lionel Messi (Barcelona).
However, there have been several other players whose accomplishments match those of the winners', if not better them. They were either surprisingly snubbed or were unfortunate that the eventual winner had an extraordinary statistical advantage.
On that note, here's a look at the greatest XI of players who have never won the Ballon d'Or award.
Note: This is a hypothetical list with some players deployed out of their regular positions.
Goalkeeper - Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Manuel Neuer is arguably the most different and most dominant goalkeeper of all time. One can safely credit him with normalising the 'sweeper-keeper' position in modern football.
It has now become the norm for goalkeepers to be adept with ball distribution using their feet. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Neuer completed more passes than a certain Lionel Messi.
The German has played in the Bundesliga throughout his career. He came through the ranks at Schalke 04 before establishing himself as a world-class shot-stopper at Bayern Munich.
Neuer has won nine Bundesliga, five DFB Pokal, six DFL Supercup, two UEFA Champions League, two UEFA Super Cup and two FIFA Club World Cups with Bayern Munich. It makes him the most successful goalkeeper in the club's history. Neuer also won the FIFA World Cup with Germany in 2014, where he was awarded the tournament's Golden Glove.
Neuer's awards, honours and staggering stats give a clear indication of his sheer dominance in the last decade. In 2014 he was the first goalkeeper to finish in the top three of the Ballon d'Or race (third place) since the legendary Gianluigi Buffon finished runner-up in 2006. That makes Neuer a no-brainer to start as custodian of this hypothetical XI.
Defender - Sergio Ramos (Spain)
Sergio Ramos is arguably the most accomplished defender in football history, when it comes to winning trophies. He played for Sevilla and Real Madrid in La Liga before joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) this summer on a free transfer.
At Madrid, Ramos won five La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, four Supercopa de Espana, three UEFA Super Cups, four FIFA Club World Cups and four UEFA Champions League trophies. Three of those Champions League trophies were won back-to-back between 2015-18.
Sergio Ramos has also won major international honours with Spain. He was instrumental in their solitary triumph in the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Ramos was also part of Spain teams that won back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and in 2012.
Moreover, Ramos has scored 129 goals for club and country - something unheard of for a central defender. He plays the game with passion and urgency, rarely seen from a defender. Due to his leadership skills, goalscoring ability and career record, Ramos picks himself in this hypothetical XI
Defender - Paolo Maldini (Italy)
There have been few players in history that have come close to matching Paolo Maldini's defensive and leadership abilities.
Such was his impact as captain for AC Milan and Italy for many years that he was nicknamed 'Il Capitano' (The Captain) by his teammates. He held the record for most Serie A appearances (647) till 2020, when he was overtaken by his former teammate Gianluigi Buffon.
One of football's greatest managers, Sir Alex Ferguson, paid tribute to Maldini, calling him the best.
Maldini spent a stupendous 25 seasons at AC Milan, retiring in 2009. During that period, he won 25 trophies with the club. His trophy cabinet includes seven Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana, four UEFA Champions League titles, four UEFA Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups and one FIFA Club World Cup.
Paolo Maldini was the most accomplished defender in AC Milan and Italy's rich footballing history. His longevity and consistency at the top level makes him irreplaceable for any of his teams, and in our hypothetical list, too.
Defender - Franco Baresi (Italy)
Like the previous man on this list, Franco Baresi, too, was an Italy and AC Milan captain for many years. Baresi spent the entirety of his 20-year career in Milan, captaining the side for 15 seasons. What makes that all the more incredible is that Baresi was rejected by Inter Milan's youth team, who chose his brother Giuseppe instead. Little did they know at the time what they had let slip through their fingers.
Baresi was another highly successful Milan captain. He won six Serie A titles, four Supercopa Italiana, three UEFA Champions League titles, two European Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cups during his time with the club.
Franco Baresi did well with Italy too, winning the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He was part of the side that finished runners-up in 1994 and in third place in 1990. His achievements speak for themselves, so Baresi makes our hypothetical team.
Defender - Dani Alves (Brazil)
Dani Alves is the most successful player to have lived, if only the number of trophies won are considered. The Brazilian full-back has won a whopping 43 career trophies, more than any other player in the game's history.
He began his career at Esporte Bahia, a football club based in Salvador, Brazil. Alves then moved to Seville in Spain where he caught Barcelona's attention during his six-year tenure.
It was during his time at Barcelona that Alves gained international fame and acclaim, making it the most successful phase of his illustrious career. He also had spells at Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Sao Paolo. He has recently returned to Barcelona.
Alves has won nine domestic league titles, 11 domestic cup competitions, four UEFA Super Cups, two UEFA Cups (now Europa League), three Champions League titles and three FIFA Club World Cups during his time in Europe. He has also won two Copa America and two Confederations Cup titles with Brazil.
Alves was a key player going forward for his teams, scoring 59 goals and providing 168 assists from the right-back spot. His productivity at both ends of the pitch combined with trophies won make him an easy pick for this list.
Midfielder - Xavi Hernandez (Spain)
Xavi Hernandez was one of the main players for Barcelona in the 2000s and early 2010s, dazzling everyone with their swift passing moves. The maestro was renowned for his passing range, vision, playing on the half-turn as well as ball retention and positional play.
Between his debut in 1997 and retirement in 2019, Xavi played a mind-boggling 1,148 games. That places him sixth on the list of all-time appearances. He is the top-ranked outfield player with the most professional games, though.
At Barcelona, Xavi won eight La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey cups, six Supercopa de Espana cups, four UEFA Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups. He was also the man pulling the strings in Spain's triumphs at the FIFA World Cup (2010) and consecutive UEFA Euro wins (2008, 2012).
Although his game is beyond recognition via awards and personal accolades, Xavi came close to winning the Ballon d'Or award in 2009, 2010 and 2011. But he finished in third place on all three occasions. The way he made Barcelona tick during their peak years makes the current Barcelona manager a no-brainer to have on this list.
Midfielder - Frank Lampard (England)
Frank Lampard was one of England's and Chelsea's greatest midfielders, mainly owing to his goalscoring abilities. He finished as Chelsea's all-time top scorer with 211 goals across competitions for the club. Lampard is the only midfielder with more than 150 Premier League goals.
At Chelsea, the Englishman won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one UEFA Champions League title and one Europa League trophy. He scored 267 goals and provided 176 assists during his club career, making him an important asset in attack.
Lampard came closes to winning the Ballon d'Or award in 2005 when he finished runner-up to the Brazilian maestro Ronaldinho. However, due to his trophy cabinet and impact at Chelsea as a goalscorer, Lampard merits a spot on this list.
Midfielder - Andres Iniesta (Spain)
Andres Iniesta was one of the most successful midfielders to have played for Barcelona and Spain. He formed a formidable partnership with fellow midfielder Xavi. Together they won almost every major title for club and country.
Iniesta made his Barcelona debut aged 18 in 2002, and played regularly in the first team from the 2004-05 season onwards. He was a first-team regular till 2018 when age started to catch up with him. The Spaniard made 674 appearances for Barcelona across competitions, scoring 57 goals and providing 138 assists.
He has won nine La Liga titles, six Copa del Rey trophies, six Supercopa de Espana trophies, four Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cup titles. With 35 trophies, Iniesta is the most decorated player in Spain's rich football history.
Iniesta was also instrumental for his national side. He scored arguably the most important goal in their footballing history against The Netherlands in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final.
Iniesta was instrumental for Spain for years. He helped them lift the UEFA European Championship twice (2008 and 2012) and their first and only FIFA World Cup (2010). That makes him another no-brainer in our hypothetical XI.
Centre Forward - Ferenc Puskas (Hungary)
Ferenc Puskas is widely regarded as football's first true international superstar. He was a key member of the Hungary side that dazzled world football in the 1940s and 1950s. He led his nation to an Olympic gold in 1952, and took them to the FIFA World Cup final in 1954.
Puskas represented Budapest Honved and Real Madrid at club level, scoring a whopping 514 goals in 530 appearances across competitions. He won ten domestic titles - five at each club - but was more successful in Spain. Puskas was part of the Madrid side that won three European Cups as well as one Intercontinental Cup.
Puskas came close to winning the Ballon d'Or award in 1960 when he finished runner-up, losing out to Luis Suarez of Barcelona. He won the Golden Ball awarded to the best player of the tournament at the 1954 FIFA World Cup.
Such was his greatness that the award for the best goal scored each calendar year in world football is named after him - the Puskas award.
Striker - Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
Robert Lewandowski has been a revelation in the 2010s. He first rose to stardom during his time at Borussia Dortmund under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp. The Pole has been immense for his teams over the years, scoring goals for fun. He has also netted in clutch moments.
One thing unique to Lewandowski is his ability to score many goals as well as provide assists for his teammates. In doing so, he ensures most chances are converted into at least attempts on goal- an underrated plus point in a world leaning towards defensive football. His mouth-watering return of 483 goals and 130 assists in 648 club games across competitions backs this observation.
Lewandowski is also a prolific hat-trick scorer. His most notable such game came against Wolfsburg in 2015, when he netted five in nine minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Among his several honours and accolades, Lewandowski has won 11 domestic league titles, five domestic cups, seven domestic Supercups, one UEFA Champions League and one UEFA Super Cup. On a personal level, his top awards include the European Golden Shoe (2020-21), The Best Award (2020) and UEFA Men's Player of the Year (2019-20), among others.
Robert Lewandowski was the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or award last year. However, the ceremony could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lewandowski is one of the contenders to win the coveted award this year.
Striker - Thierry Henry (France)
What happened at the 2003 Ballon d'Or awards ceremony will forever remain etched in the minds of Arsenal, France and Thierry Henry fans. Despite dominating the 2002-03 season in all major statistics, Henry was snubbed. The Ballon d'Or award that year went to Juventus' Pavel Nedved instead, who had respectable numbers, but nowhere near the Frenchman's.
Henry was a player with a strong personality that shone through his game. He took on opponents with his tall and strong frame, or ran past them using his blistering pace. He scored goals galore for Arsenal and France. Henry is Arsenal's all-time top scorer with 228 goals across competitions, while he has netted 51 goals for Les Bleus.
Henry is the original piece from which many present-day strikers such as Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema and Romelu Lukaku have based their games on.
His exploits for Arsenal earned him the honour of having his statue installed at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. His pose in the statue was taken from his iconic celebration against bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Henry won five domestic league titles, three domestic cups, one UEFA Super Cup, one FIFA Club World Cup and one Champions League title. Titi also won the FIFA World Cup with France in 1998, as well as the UEFA European Championship two years later.
His phenomenal goalscoring record is enough to earn the man a spot on this list.
