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After Real Madrid's record-breaking third consecutive UEFA Champions League title last week, now all eyes shift to the FIFA World Cup 2018. With under a fortnight left before the start of the biggest football tournament in the world, a lot of players are working hard and ensuring that they are at the peak of their powers during the FIFA World Cup.
To excel at such big tournaments, individual brilliance is not enough. In such tournaments, the teams that emerge victorious are often the ones who have all their bases covered.
Consider the example of Argentina during the 2014 football World Cup. Before the final, a lot of talks were based on Messi vs Germany, and we all know that the team trumped over the individual.
At the club level, the UEFA Champions League is undoubtedly the biggest competition and while almost all footballers dream of lifting the Champions League trophy with their clubs and the FIFA World Cup trophy with their nation, very few actually succeed in realising this dream.
On that note, in this piece, we look at 5 famous footballers who have won the UEFA Champions League multiple times but have failed to win the FIFA World Cup:
#5 Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale has a penchant for performing at the biggest stages in football. After being benched in the finals of the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool, his performance after coming out as a substitute was jaw-dropping. In the process, he silenced all those critics who were doubting his on-field abilities.
The Welsh international is known for his pace and accurate crosses. After moving from Spurs to Real Madrid, the winger has developed his physique and polished his finishing abilities which have made him one of the best in the world.
After winning the UEFA Champions League with his superlative performance, it will be unfortunate for footballing fans all over the world to not see Bale in action at the FIFA World Cup 2018 as Wales failed to qualify. Going forward, it is highly unlikely that the Welshman will go on to win the FIFA World Cup.
#4 Marcelo
Currently one of the world's best defenders, Marcelo heads into the World Cup brimming with confidence, having won the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid. He is a defender who seamlessly transitions forward and helps to build attacks. This quality, coupled with his ability to snatch the ball from the opposition makes Marcelo an immensely valuable player.
The Brazilian star would be hoping to forget the heartbreak of 2014 and deliver a strong performance. With Brazil having one of the finest squads on paper, not many would bet against them winning their 6th World Cup. For that to be possible, Marcelo will be a vital cog in their team and his performance at the back will determine his team's chances.
#3 Dani Alves
Dani Alves won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona in 2009, 2011 and 2015 and he was one of the key players who influenced the team's performance. The Brazilian defender plays at the right-back position both at the club level as well as the national team and is known for his versatility, and his ability to create chances is what makes him so valuable.
Unfortunately for Alves, he will not be participating in the World Cup 2018 due to a knee injury that he sustained while playing for Paris Saint-Germain in the finals of the French Cup. Dani Alves will go into history as one of the greatest players to have won the Champions League multiple times but failed to win a World Cup.
#2 Lionel Messi
Season after season, Lionel Messi continues to raise his game and wows footballing fans all over the world with his insane dribbles and goals. In spite of winning a plethora of titles at Barcelona, the diminutive Argentinian has failed to win the World Cup. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner came agonizingly close in 2014 but eventually fell just short as Germany snatched the victory in the final.
Once again, Lionel Messi heads into the World Cup in prime form. His 45 goals this season helped Barcelona win La Liga and Copa del Rey easily. Winner of the UEFA Champions League in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015, Messi will undoubtedly be the spearhead in attack for the national team.
Also read: 5 reasons why Lionel Messi is bigger than the Ballon d'Or
If he manages to win the World Cup this year then he will go into the record books as one of the very few players to have won both the tournaments.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is already a footballing legend and in the future, it seems unfathomable to even imagine someone matching his high standards. He is the first player in the World who has won the UEFA Champions League five times.
He is also the only player to score in three finals of the Champions League. In this season too, he was ruthless in the Champions League. He not only scored in all the six games of the group stages but also went on to score in 11 straight UEFA Champions League games.
For Portugal, Ronaldo has scored 81 goals and is currently the highest scorer amongst active players. Notably, Portugal won the Euros in 2016 and are one of the exciting teams to keep an eye on in this year's World Cup.
However, the big question on everyone's mind is, can Ronaldo inspire them to a famous World Cup win? If he can and if he does, he will certainly go down in history for holding the Champions League title and the World Cup at the same time.
