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The UEFA Champions League is the ultimate football prize in European Club Football and every footballer playing in Europe dreams of lifting the fabled trophy at least once in his lifetime. Playing in the Champions League is a great honour in itself and every season, clubs in all the top leagues in Europe vie for the craved champions league spots. Sadly, the tournament is not for everyone to participate in.
Only the best among the different leagues compete among themselves to earn the right to be the Champions of the Champions – the Champions League winner.
Since its inception in the 1992/93 season, the trophy has been lifted by some famous names in football. Many of them had the privilege of winning the tournament more than once as well – some for different clubs, some for the same club. A Champions League trophy adds glitter and glamour to every footballer’s CV; it is a testimonial of his qualities.
However, there are some great players who have never won the trophy in their careers. Many have not even reached the finals in their lifetime and while the lack of a Champions League winner’s medal does not put their legendary status in world football under any doubt, it is definitely a glaring miss from their trophy cabinet.
As such, we look at the best possible starting XI of players who have never won the trophy in their career, an incredible team that would give any World XI a run for their money.
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper – Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon deserves a Champions League trophy and it is hard to believe that the 2006 FIFA World Cup winner with Italy has not won the prestigious trophy yet.
His incredible career is crammed with trophies, records and fabulous achievements, including 2 UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the year, 3 Best European Goalkeeper awards, FIFA World Cup Yashin Award and the incredible treble – IFFHAS Best Goalkeeper of the decade, IFFHAS Best Goalkeeper of the last 25 years and IFFHAS Best Goalkeeper of the 21st Century.
He also has 5 IFFHAS World’s Best Goalkeeper award. Yet, he was unlucky not to win the Champions League.
Buffon appeared in the Champions League final 3 times but was defeated by Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid. This summer, he moved to PSG and will be hoping that he can finally break his Champions League jinx with the French side. The Italian is one of only three players in the world to have appeared in 3 Champions League finals without winning the trophy.
Right Centre-back – Fabio Cannavaro
The legendary Center back won the Balon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2006 along with the FIFA World Cup and is one of the greatest defenders in the history of football. He won the UEFA Cup, 2 Coppa Italia and 1 Supercoppa Italiana with Parma, before joining Milan and then Juventus 2 years later.
When the Serie A side were relegated due to involvement in the infamous Italian Football scandal, Cannavaro moved to Real Madrid, where he won 2 La Liga titles. He would return to Juventus again, but by then he had began struggling and his defending capabilities had diminished.
Cannavaro finally ended his career with UAE side Al Ahli in July 2011. He had never won the Champions League and had never appeared in the finals of the tournament.
Left Centre-Back – Leonardo Bonucci
Starting his professional career with Inter Milan, Leonardo Bonucci spent his entire playing career at Italy and is one of the finest defenders in the world right now. However, he has not won the Champions League yet.
He won the Serie A with Inter Milan and then moved to Juventus, where he won 6 Serie A titles, 3 Coppa Italia and 3 Supercoppa Italiana. Bonucci appeared in the Champions League finals twice but ended up in the losing side on both occasions.
In the 2014/15 season, his Juventus side was defeated by Barcelona, while in the 2016/17 finals, Real Madrid got the better of them. However, Bonucci still has a couple of years football left in him and he will be hoping that he can get his hands on the trophy at least once before hanging up his boots.
Right Back – Lilian Thuram
A World Cup and Euro winner with France, Thuram was also a part of the Juventus team that were defeated by Milan in the 2002 Champions League Final and it was the only time he had played in the final of the tournament. A centre back who regularly played at right back, he was quick and powerful and could play both in defence and in midfield.
He started his career at Monaco in Ligue 1 and retired in 2008, after two seasons at Barcelona.
The legendary French defender had won a lot of trophies at club level during his time at France, Italy and Spain, however, the UEFA Champions League winners medal eluded him throughout his career.
Left Back – Giorgio Chiellini
Another World Class defender from Italy, Chiellini has not won the Champions League in his career so far. He missed the 2014/15 Final against Barcelona, with a first-degree calf muscle tear and it must be said that Juventus dearly missed him in the match, losing to Barcelona 3-1.
He was, however, a part of the team that reached the final again in the 2016/17 season, only to be defeated by Real Madrid this time. Chiellini has won 7 Serie A, 1 Serie B, 4 Coppa Italia and 3 Supercoppa Italiana with Juventus, but the Champions League continues to elude him.
The Italian is the new captain at Juventus this season, and will be hoping that he can finally guide his side to the Trophy.
Central Midfield – Pavel Nedved
A Balon D’Or as well as the European Footballer of the Year Winner in 2003, the Czech Fury took Juventus to the 2003 Champions League final but had to watch the finals from the stands as an accumulation of yellow cards meant that he was suspended for the final match.
It was a cruel ending to a fabulous run in the tournament by Nedved and without him to steer the midfield, Juventus were defeated by Milan. Sadly, Nedved would not reach the tournament final again and thus never appeared in the finals of the tournament.
Even though Nedved won a host of trophies during his long and fruitful career, that night at Old Trafford in 2003 was the closest the legendary midfielder had arrived to winning the acclaimed tournament and Nedved ultimately retired without getting his hands on the Champions League Trophy.
Central Midfield – Francesco Totti
Players like Francesco Totti are a rare gem in the world of football. One of the greatest midfielders of his generation, he could have fit into any top team during the prime of his career. He was also wanted by a lot of clubs, but his allegiance to Roma and his love for his club was rock solid.
The Italian maestro played his entire club career for AS Roma and retired at the end of the 2017 season. He finished his career with one Serie A title, 2 Coppa Italia and 2 Supercoppa Italiana. Unfortunately, Roma never reached the UEFA Champions League finals during his time and as such, Totti never appeared in the finals of the tournament.
However, Totti is a World Cup winner, winning the 2006 World Cup with Italy. He retired at the end of the 2016/17 season and is one of the finest players to have never won the Champions League.
Central Midfield – Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Bergkamp was one of the classiest players of his generation. His skills and finesse was out of the world and he could demolish opposition single-handedly on his given day. He played for Ajax, Inter Milan and Arsenal in his career, winning a lot of trophies, but arguably, it was his time with the Gunners which showed what a fine talent Bergkamp was.
He was a vital part of the famous “Invincibles” who won the 2003/04 Premier League trophy. However, he never played in the Champions League final and ended his career without the trophy.
Arsenal did reach the tournament Final with the Dutchman in the team once. Unfortunately, Bergkamp was an unused substitute for Arsenal in their Champions League final against Barcelona in the 2005/06 season. Barcelona won the match and denied him a winner’s medal.
Right Forward – Zlatan Ibrahimovic
One of the most colourful characters in the football field, the Swede is an immensely talented footballer and appeared in the Champions League with 7 different teams. He is also the only player to have scored in the Champions League with 6 different teams. Unfortunately, he was never on the winning team.
He was unlucky, to say the least. In the summer of 2009, he transferred to Barcelona from Inter Milan and in the same season, Inter would go on to win the Champions League trophy! In the summer of 2010, he moved to AC Milan from Barcelona and the Catalans won the tournament in that season!
Zlatan’s career is glittering with trophies at every club he has played at, unfortunately, he could never get his hands on the Champions League trophy. Currently playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the twilight of his career, Zlatan perhaps will have to retire without winning the Champions League.
Striker – Ruud Van Nistelrooy
One of the most feared strikers in the World in his prime, the Dutchman has been the UEFA Champions League Top Scorer in 3 different seasons, but could never win the coveted trophy in his playing career. He won 2 Eredivisie and one Johan Cruyff Shield with PSV before moving to Manchester United.
He spent 5 seasons at Old Trafford, winning one Premier League, one FA Cup, one League Cup and one Community Shield. His next destination was Real Madrid, where he won 2 La Liga titles and one Supercopa de Espana.
His long and successful career ended with Malaga in 2011/12 season, however, he could never win the Champions League in his time as a footballer.
Left Forward – Ronaldo
It is hard to believe that someone who won the FIFA World Cup twice, the Copa America twice, was adjudged the FIFA World Player of the Year thrice and also won the Balon D’Or twice, has never won the Champions league! But that is the only blot in Ronaldo’s fantastic football career both with his country Brazil and the clubs he has represented.
Ronaldo played for some of the biggest clubs in football, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan and was one of the greatest strikers of his generation. He won a host of international and club level trophies and the list of his personal accolades is endless.
Yet, for all his achievements, he never played in the Champions League final; the closest he had come was the semifinals with Real Madrid in 2003. The Brazilian ended his career without winning the Champions League and is perhaps the greatest player who never won the tournament.
