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Since its inception in 1956 by 'France Football', the Ballon d'Or has undoubtedly been the highest individual award in the world of football. Over the span of 65 years, many great footballers have managed to get their hands on the prestigious award.
From legends like George Best, Alfredo Di Stefano and Johan Cryuff to modern day greats like Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo Nazario. The award has seen only the very best lift it. The Ballon d'Or awards have been dominated by superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the better part of the last decade.
The highest recognition of footballers around the world, the Ballon d'Or, remains a dream for many top footballers. There are greats who have never won the award for one reason or the other. Unfortunately, there are also many legendary forwards who have never made it to the top three of Ballon d'Or.
Pele and Diego Maradona were kept out of the top three debate as the Ballon d'Or was not open to non-Europeans until 1995.
Without further ado, let us take a look at
Top 5 forwards who never made the Ballon d'Or podium (top 3)
#5 Thomas Muller
A top performer for his club and country over the last decade, Thomas Muller remains criminally underrated in the discussion of modern day greats. Muller has been an integral part of Germany and Bayern Munich, playing a pivotal role in the teams' unprecedented success over the years.
Muller had his say during Bayern Munich's famous treble in 2012-13, scoring 23 goals and assisting 17 in all competitions that campaign. But Muller's best season came when he led Germany's attack in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He racked up five goals and three assists to his name. For his exploits, Muller was awarded the silver boot and silver ball in the World Cup.
Despite all the glory and accolades in 2014, Muller only came fifth in the Ballon d'Or race that year and missed out on a podium finish.
#4. Arjen Robben
Widely regarded as one of the greatest right-wingers in modern football, Arjen Robben will be another footballer to miss out on the Ballon d'Or Podium finish. Robben won a series of titles during his time with Bayern Munich, which included eight Bundesliga titles and five DFB Pokals, among other accolades.
Robben was known for his venomous partnership with Frank Ribery and led Bayern's attack to many titles. Robben scored the winning goal in the UEFA Champions League final against rivals Borussia Dortmund in the 2012-13 season. He was adjudged the Man of the match.
2013 could've been Robben's year with the Dutch forward helping Bayern win the treble and UEFA Super Cup. But he missed out on a podium finish as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and team-mate Ribery occupied the top three spots.
#3 Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs was a product of the famed Class of '92 batch who made history with Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson. He won a massive haul of 34 trophies during his tenure at Old Trafford, which includes 13 English Premier League titles.
Giggs was ever-present in Sir Alex Ferguson's squad for as long as one can remember. His unparalleled longevity and consistency made him a Premier League legend. The Wales winger remains one of the Premier League's all-time greats. He won numerous individual accolades over the years until his retirement in 2014.
Despite his legendary career, Giggs never made it into the top three of the Ballon d'Or.
#2 Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez is controversial in nature but no one can doubt his excellence in front of goal. His time with Ajax, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona is a testament to the fact that he is one of the best strikers in modern football.
The Uruguayan striker did manage to outscore Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during his peak in 2016, winning the European Golden boot in the process. The forward was part of Barcelona's legendary 'MSN' trio, helping Barcelona win the treble in the 2014-15 campaign. Suarez racked up 25 goals and 23 assists in that particular season and was a key member of Barcelona's triumph.
The closest that Suarez came to a podium finish at the Ballon d'Or was in 2015 when he finished fifth.
#1 Robert Lewandowski
Without a doubt, Robert Lewandowski is currently the best striker in the world. Even after spending more than a decade in top flight football, Lewandowski remains at the peak of his powers. The forward helped Bayern Munich win numerous titles in his time with the Bavarians and 2020-21 was no different.
The Polish striker had scored a whopping 41 goals in just 29 Bundesliga appearances in the 2020-21 season. He ended the season with 48 goals and nine assists in all competitions.
Unfortunately, France Football decided not to give the Ballon d'Or award in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic. But there was a strong debate that Robert Lewandowski would've won it considering his exploits. Lewandowski will have another chance as his performance in 2021 remains nothing short of sensational.
