Several celebrated footballers have enjoyed trophy-laden careers, delivered decisive performances on the biggest stages and earned recognition among the world’s finest players without finishing among the top three in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
The award, one of football’s most prestigious individual honours, was dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo between 2008 and 2017, leaving limited opportunities for other outstanding players to secure a podium finish.
From Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah to former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, the careers of nine football icons highlight the fierce competition for individual recognition, according to a report by Planet Football on Friday.
Luis Suárez
Former Barcelona striker, Luis Suárez, remains one of the most notable omissions, having scored 31 Premier League goals for Liverpool during the 2013/14 season to win the European Golden Shoe and help the club challenge for the league title.
Despite his remarkable campaign, the Uruguayan was excluded from the 23-man shortlist for the 2014 Ballon d’Or.
Reflecting on the recognition he received, Suárez said, “Everyone brings it to attention, as Gerard Pique said, and what he told me is that they voted me as the best player in the most difficult league in the world, or one of the most difficult.”
He also pointed to his status as Europe’s leading league goalscorer while explaining that he preferred to avoid controversy.
After joining Barcelona in 2014, Suárez helped the Spanish club win a treble in the 2014/15 season alongside Messi and Neymar, before scoring 59 goals in all competitions in 2015/16, when Messi, Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann occupied the Ballon d’Or’s top three positions.
Gareth Bale
Former Real Madrid forward, Gareth Bale, won five UEFA Champions League titles during his time in Spain and helped Wales reach the semi-finals of Euro 2016, but his highest Ballon d’Or finish was sixth.
The Welshman’s pace, goalscoring ability and decisive contributions in major matches did not translate into a place among the award’s top three.
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah, played a central role in the club’s Champions League triumph in 2019 and its Premier League title success in 2019/20, establishing himself as one of the most influential attackers of his generation.
Although Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk finished second behind Messi in 2019, Salah has yet to secure a podium position despite his sustained goalscoring performances.
Didier Drogba
Former Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba, was instrumental in the club’s 2012 Champions League triumph, scoring in the final against Bayern Munich before converting the decisive penalty in the shootout.
The former Ivory Coast international finished eighth in that year’s Ballon d’Or voting, while Liberia’s George Weah remains the only African player to have won the award, with Sadio Mané finishing second in 2022.
Francesco Totti
Former Roma captain, Francesco Totti, spent his entire senior club career with the Italian side, helping it win the Serie A title in 2000/01 and finishing fifth in the Ballon d’Or rankings that year.
His technical ability, vision and loyalty to Roma earned him widespread respect, although the club’s comparatively limited success in the Champions League may have affected his chances of winning the individual award.
Roy Keane
Former Manchester United captain, Roy Keane, played a pivotal role in the club’s 1998/99 treble-winning campaign under Sir Alex Ferguson but never finished higher than sixth in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Reacting to his position during an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast, Keane said, “Sixth!?”
He added, “Me coming sixth makes it a bit of a joke, doesn’t it?”
Wayne Rooney
Former Manchester United forward, Wayne Rooney, won five Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup and three League Cups during his career at Old Trafford, while also becoming one of England’s leading international goalscorers.
Despite his versatility, creativity and longevity, Rooney never finished among the Ballon d’Or’s top three.
Andrea Pirlo
Former Italy midfielder, Andrea Pirlo, won the 2006 World Cup and enjoyed considerable success with AC Milan and Juventus, but never reached the Ballon d’Or podium.
His influence was later acknowledged through his inclusion in France Football’s 2020 all-time Ballon d’Or Dream Team selection, although he was placed in the second team.
Arjen Robben
Former Bayern Munich winger, Arjen Robben, helped the German club win the Champions League in 2013, scoring the decisive goal against Borussia Dortmund in the final, but never finished among the award’s top three.
Former Bayern Munich chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, expressed disappointment over the Dutchman’s omission in 2014, saying, “The fact that Arjen Robben failed to make the top three was a shame.”
He added, “It’s barely possible to play better than he has in the last year and a half.”
The continued dominance of Messi and Ronaldo during their peak years restricted opportunities for other players, including those whose achievements at club and international levels placed them among football’s elite.
