Table of Contents
Some of football’s biggest names never got their hands on the Ballon d’Or. Crazy, right? These Ballon d’Or snubs prove the award never told the full story. Trophies, legacy, sheer brilliance on the pitch, none of that always translates into Golden Ball glory.
Here are ten legends who deserved it and never got it.
Quick Reference Table
| Player | Position | Year(s) of Snub | Best Finish |
| Ferenc Puskas | Forward | 1960 | Runner-up |
| Xavi Hernandez | Midfielder | 2009, 2010, 2011 | 3rd place |
| Andres Iniesta | Midfielder | 2010, 2012 | Runner-up (2010) |
| Paolo Maldini | Defender | Never top 3 | N/A |
| Gianluigi Buffon | Goalkeeper | 2006 | Runner-up |
| Neymar Jr | Forward | 2015, 2017 | 3rd place |
| Zlatan Ibrahimovic | Forward | 2014 | 4th place |
| Thierry Henry | Forward | 2003 | Runner-up |
| Dennis Bergkamp | Forward | 1992, 1993 | 2nd place (1993) |
| Francesco Totti | Attacking Midfielder | 2001 | 5th place |
1. Ferenc Puskás, Runner-up in 1960
802 goals in 792 official games. Let that sink in for a second. Puskas basically scored more than one goal per game across his entire career, and he still finished as Ballon d’Or runner-up in 1960 rather than winning it outright.
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| 3x European Cup winner (1959, 1960, 1966) | Olympic champion, 1952 |
| 10x league titles (5 Hungarian, 5 Spanish) | Led Hungary to the 1954 World Cup final |
2. Xavi Hernández, Third in 2009, 2010, and 2011
Nobody controlled a football match quite like Xavi. He finished third in the Ballon d’Or three years running. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| 8x La Liga champion | 2010 World Cup winner |
| 4x Champions League winner, two trebles (2009, 2015) | Euro 2008 and 2012 champion with Spain |
Eight La Liga titles. Four Champions League wins, two of them as part of a full treble. Among all the Ballon d’Or snubs on this list, Xavi’s case might sting the most, because he was arguably the best player on the planet for a stretch and the trophy just never came.
3. Andrés Iniesta, Runner-up in 2010, Third in 2012
Who scored the winning goal in a World Cup final and still never won the Ballon d’Or? Iniesta, that’s who.
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| 9x La Liga champion | 2010 World Cup winner, scored the winning goal in the final |
| 4x Champions League winner | Euro 2008 and 2012 champion with Spain |
35 career trophies. His quiet brilliance never quite got the recognition his numbers deserved, and that’s the whole story of Ballon d’Or snubs in a nutshell.
4. Paolo Maldini, Never Finished in the Top Three
25 years at one club. One single club. Maldini basically defined what it meant to be a one-club legend, and he did it while redefining what elite defending looked like.
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| 7x Serie A champion | 1994 World Cup runner-up with Italy |
| 5x European Cup/Champions League winner | 126 caps for Italy |
Defenders rarely win individual awards anyway, but Maldini’s longevity and consistency should have broken that pattern at least once. He never even cracked the top three.
5. Gianluigi Buffon, Runner-up in 2006
Buffon won the World Cup in 2006, picked up the Golden Glove in the same tournament, and still finished as Ballon d’Or runner-up rather than winner. Goalkeepers just don’t get the credit strikers get, do they?
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| 10x Serie A champion | 2006 World Cup winner, also awarded the Golden Glove |
| Multiple Coppa Italia titles | 176 caps for Italy |
If any goalkeeper ever deserved to break the mold, it was him.
6. Neymar, Third in 2015 and 2017
Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 80 goals doesn’t win a single Ballon d’Or? That feels wrong. Neymar finished third in both 2015 and 2017, close but never close enough.
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| 2011 Copa Libertadores winner with Santos | 2013 Confederations Cup winner, Golden Ball |
| 2015 treble with Barcelona, PSG’s all-time top scorer | 2016 Olympic gold medal with Brazil |
Among all the Ballon d’Or snubs here, his case is one of the most debated.
7. Zlatan Ibrahimović, Fourth in 2014
Over 570 career goals. League titles in four different countries. Sweden’s all-time top scorer with 62 goals. Zlatan’s resume reads like a highlight reel, and his best Ballon d’Or finish was fourth, back in 2014.
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| League titles in four countries: Eredivisie, Serie A twice, La Liga, Ligue 1 | Sweden’s all-time leading scorer, 62 goals |
| 34 career trophies |
34 career trophies tell you everything about the winning mentality he carried from club to club. The individual gong never came through, no matter how many leagues he dominated.
8. Thierry Henry, Runner-up in 2003
Arsenal’s all-time top scorer. 228 goals. The Invincibles season. Henry finished second in the Ballon d’Or in 2003.
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| 2x Premier League champion, including the 2004 Invincibles | 1998 World Cup winner with France |
| 2009 treble with Barcelona, 4x Premier League Golden Boot | Euro 2000 champion with France |
Few forwards combined pace and finishing quite like Henry did in his prime.
9. Dennis Bergkamp, Second in 1993, Third in 1992
Bergkamp’s best Ballon d’Or finishes came early, third in 1992 and second in 1993, both before he’d even joined Arsenal. Watching him play in his prime, it’s easy to see why people thought he deserved to win it outright.
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| 3x Eredivisie champion with Ajax | 1998 World Cup third place with the Netherlands |
| 3x Premier League champion and 3x FA Cup winner with Arsenal | Euro 1992 and 2000 participant |
He never chased individual glory, but plenty of fans think he deserved it anyway.
10. Francesco Totti, Fifth in 2001
One club. 786 appearances. 307 goals. Totti gave his entire career to Roma and never once left, even when bigger clubs came calling. His best Ballon d’Or finish came in 2001, the year he captained Roma to the Serie A title, finishing fifth.
| Club Achievements | International Achievements |
| 1x Serie A champion, 2000-01 | 2006 World Cup winner with Italy |
| 2x Coppa Italia, 2x Supercoppa Italiana winner | Euro 2000 runner-up |
Totti never chased individual awards the way some players do, and maybe that’s exactly why he never got one.
Why the Ballon d’Or Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
These Ballon d’Or snubs prove one simple thing. The award captures a moment, one incredible season, but it rarely captures a career. Legacy gets built over decades, not twelve months. Every single player on this list left football better than they found it, trophy or no trophy. That’s what makes these Ballon d’Or snubs worth remembering, long after the actual winners of those years have been forgotten.
Read More About: Top 10 Greatest Footballers of All Time In Football History
FAQs:
Who is considered the greatest Ballon d’Or snub in football history?
Ferenc Puskas is often considered the greatest Ballon d’Or snub, finishing as runner-up in 1960 despite scoring 802 goals in 792 official games and winning three European Cups.
How many times did Xavi finish in the Ballon d’Or top three?
Xavi finished third in the Ballon d’Or three times, in 2009, 2010 and 2011, despite winning eight La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies during his career.
Did Paolo Maldini ever finish in the Ballon d’Or top three?
No. Despite winning seven Serie A titles and five Champions League trophies over 25 years at AC Milan, Paolo Maldini never finished in the top three of the Ballon d’Or voting.
What was Neymar’s best Ballon d’Or finish?
Neymar’s best Ballon d’Or finish was third place, which he achieved twice, in 2015 and again in 2017.
Why did Dennis Bergkamp never win the Ballon d’Or?
Dennis Bergkamp’s best Ballon d’Or finishes came early in his career, third in 1992 and second in 1993, both before he joined Arsenal, and he never reached those heights again once his most iconic Premier League years began.
How many career trophies did Andres Iniesta win?
Andres Iniesta won 35 career trophies, including nine La Liga titles, four Champions League trophies, and the 2010 World Cup with Spain, where he scored the winning goal in the final.
What was Francesco Totti’s best Ballon d’Or finish?
Francesco Totti’s best Ballon d’Or finish was fifth place in 2001, the year he captained Roma to their first Serie A title in 18 years.