Titled: Ranked Listing: The Top 20 Footballers Who Never Tasted Champions League Victory

Legendary Players Yet to Taste Champions League Glory

In the world of football, winning the Champions League is the pinnacle of success for many players. However, there are several notable figures who, despite their exceptional skills and contributions to the game, have yet to lift the coveted trophy.

One such player is David Silva and Sergio Aguero, two of Manchester City's greatest players. Despite their significant impact on the club, they have never led the team to Champions League glory.

Similarly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic holds the unwanted record of most Champions League appearances without ever winning the trophy. Eric Cantona, a key player for Manchester United in the 1990s, also missed out on the Champions League due to retiring before United's victory in 1999.

Ronaldo, the Brazilian footballer, and Dennis Bergkamp, despite their success with several top European clubs, have also never won the Champions League. Interestingly, Ronaldo has only played for Al-Nassr FC and Sporting Lisbon during his career, the two clubs that have never won the Champions League (during his lifetime); Juventus Turin, Manchester United, and Real Madrid have all won the competition during his time with them.

Francesco Totti, the Roman icon, made his Champions League debut in 2001/02 but never advanced beyond the quarter-finals. Hernan Crespo, who scored two goals in a Champions League final, lost to Liverpool on penalties in 2005.

Patrick Vieira, known for his success with Arsenal and France, is another player who has never won the Champions League. Cesc Fabregas, a former Arsenal player, was a runner-up with the club in 2006 and joined Barcelona just after they had won their fourth Champions League in 2011.

Antoine Griezmann has never won a league title or a Champions League trophy. Gabriel Batistuta only participated in the Champions League once during his time at Fiorentina.

Roberto Baggio, a legendary Italian player, only played nine games in the European Cup and Champions League proper over his career. Gianluigi Buffon, despite several appearances in Champions League finals, never won the trophy with Juventus or PSG.

Lilian Thuram, a World Cup winner in 1998, had a mixed fate in the Champions League. He scored an unlikely double in the semi-final for France but never won the trophy with any of his club teams. In 2003, he helped Juventus reach the Champions League final, but they lost on penalties to Milan. Thuram played in the final that year, unlike Pavel Nedved who was suspended for the game. Nedved, unfortunately, played no part in the 2003 Champions League final as Juventus lost to Milan due to suspension.

Michael Ballack finished runner-up with Bayer Leverkusen in 2002 and Chelsea in 2008. Kylian Mbappe, despite reaching the final with PSG in 2020, has yet to win the Champions League.

These players, despite their extraordinary talents, have yet to taste Champions League glory. Their stories serve as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of football and the elusive allure of the Champions League trophy.