Top-10 Players to NOT win an International trophy
We look at players who haven’t won anything with their national team
Some players are simply better for their club over their country, whilst other players just aren’t in a good enough national team to really compete during a World Cup or any other International competition.
Today’s SillySeason Top-10 is going to look at the best players to have not won anything with their country. Whether it be down to not being in a good enough national team, or just whether they cannot do it on the national stage, for some reason, these stars have not tasted success with their national teams.
For most of these stars, their lack of honours on the national stage are made up with their honours at club level, so lets take a look at some brilliant footballers who have not won anything for their country.
10. Michael Ballack
Staring the list of the Top 10 Great Footballers To Have Never Won A Major International Trophy is German veteran footballer Michael Ballack.
The 38-year-old, who retired in 2012, was never part of a winning team for Germany, and of course, wasn’t playing during their World Cup win last summer.
Ballack made 98 appearances for Germany, scoring 42 goals, but he never lifted a trophy with his national side.
During his international career, Germany came runners-up in the 2002 World Cup, finished third in the 2006 World Cup and finished runners-up in the 2008 European Championships.
However, Ballack won 14 major honours during his club career with Kaiserslautern, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
9. Roberto Baggio
Ninth in our list is one for you older readers as it’s Italian legend Roberto Baggio.
Now 48, Baggio retired back in 2004, ending his career in Italy with Brescia, but during his 56 senior appearances for his national team, he failed to taste success.
During his time playing for Italy, they finished third in the 1990 World Cup, and then finished runners-up in the 1994 World Cup.
Baggio won four major honours during his club career, winning three with Juventus and one with AC Milan.
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
As mentioned on the first page, some players are just unlucky to be part of a national team that just cannot compete, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of those stars.
A Swedish legend and arguably one of their greatest ever players, if not their greatest, but sadly for him and Sweden, he hasn’t tasted success with his national team.
Luckily for Ibra, he wins almost everything at club level no matter who he joins, but it must be hard for him knowing he cannot win something on the national stage.
He’s been capped over 100 times for his country.
7. Dennis Bergkamp
Just watching this guy was a treat.
Dennis Bergkamp was an unreal talent and luckily for the English public, they got to see him week-in, week-out in the Premier League with Arsenal.
Sadly for Bergkamp, his best achievement for Netherlands was finishing fourth in the 1998 World Cup.
However, during his club career, he managed to win 16 major honours.
6. Luis Figo
Another stunning footballer to watch comes in at sixth on our list as Luis Figo failed to win anything with Portugal.
Despite his success at club level with Spanish giants Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, the Portuguese midfielder just couldn’t help his national team over the line during major tournaments.
Figo managed to make 127 appearances for Portugal, making him the most capped player for the nation, but sadly for him, throughout his glittering career, he couldn’t guide them to glory.
He was part of the Portugal team in 2004 that came runners-up in the European Championship.
5. Paolo Maldini
Making the top-five is arguably one of the greatest defenders to ever play the game.
Paolo Maldini was simply stunning at the back and will go down as one of the greatest players ever thanks to his superb career with Italian side AC Milan.
He only ever played for the Serie A outfit, making 647 league appearances for the club during his 24-year association with the Milan outfit.
15 major honours for AC Milan, but no such look on the international stage and sadly for him, he came so close on numerous occasions.
Third-place in the 1990 World Cup, Runners-up in the 1994 World Cup, Runners-up in the 2000 European Championship and a semi-finalist in the 1988 Euros as well.
4. Johan Cryuff
Johan Cruyff will certainly go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game, but will also be classed as one of the greatest to never win a major national honour.
48 appearances for Netherlands and 33 goals, but ending with no major honours will hurt the legend of the game.
The closest he came was back in 1974, when Netherlands finished second in the World Cup.
3. Eusebio
Another one of the greats to play the game comes in at third on the list.
Eusebio is certainly one for the older fans as his career came from the 50s to the 70s, but he will always be remembered for his incredible skill and stunning footwork.
Made his name with Benfica after making over 300 appearances, but sadly he’s another Portuguese legend to not win anything with the national side.
Eusebio finished third in the 1966 World Cup and that is the closest he came.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Another Portuguese legend makes the list and a player who will go down as one of the all-time greats.
Cristiano Ronaldo has won it all at club level, but has failed along with Figo and Eusebio on the national stage.
Clearly Portugal are simply not good enough to compete for major honours, and it leaves Ronaldo with nothing next to his name on the national stage.
The 30-year-old could become the nations most capped player, overtaking Figo, if he makes eight more appearances for Portugal.
16 major honours at club level with Manchester United and Real Madrid.
1. Lionel Messi
Number-one at so many things, and number-one on our list. Lionel Messi.
Simply the greatest player to EVER play the game. Yes he tops Pele. Yes he tops Maradonna. Yes he tops Ronaldo.
Messi has broken every record, he’s won everything, he’s just incredible to watch and he’s still at his peak.
However, for Argentina it’s a different story as he’s yet to win anything for his national side, despite the wealth of attacking options they have.
Messi has won an Olympic Gold Medal in 2008, but that is all so far for Argentina.
24. Yes 24 major honours for FC Barcelona.
Yikes.