Champions League is a kid’s dream, but some of the world’s best have never got their hands on this prestigious trophy.
The highest quality football on the planet lies with the Champions League. World Cup’s are fun, but the European competition has its own standards and it sticks with the same format every year.
As a result, UCL represents the pinnacle of club football as we know about it already. Fans are too familiar about the leading winners or the ones who have already won it, but some of the greatest never reached the ultimatum with their clubs.
We have compiled the best eleven which has never won the Champions League.
Goalkeeper: Gigi Buffon
This particular tournament has proved elusive for the Gigi Buffon to lift it as he has already appeared in the final thrice. But on all three occasions, he lost to AC Milan, Barcelona, and Real Madrid in 2003, 2015, and 2017 respectively. He featured 123 times in the Champions League for Juventus, Parma, and Paris Saint Germain. He has won numerous league titles with Juventus, World Cup with Italy, but never had the chance to taste success in the Champions League. Despite being on the grand stage on three occasions, his failure to overcome in the European competition will definitely be one of his regrets during his illustrious playing career.
DEFENDERS
Right-back: Lilian Thuram
Yet another veteran of that 90’s Parma outfit and subsequent Juventus star, Lilian Thuram enjoyed a stellar career with his club and country. Similar to Buffon, the Frenchman tasted defeat in the 2003 Champions League final against AC Milan. He mustered out whooping 148 caps for his national team and was ever-present for his nation – lifting the 1998 World Cup and 2000 Euro. Lilian Thuram is one of the best right-backs to have played football.
Centre-back: Giorgio Chiellini
Giorgio Chiellini is an academy graduate of Livorno. Due to the lack of first-team appearances, Roma came calling in 2002. He was eventually loaned out to his home club Livorno before spending a temporary spell with Fiorentina. Juventus signed him in 2005, where he has eclipsed as one of the world’s best. He has taken part in two Champions League finals against Barcelona and Juventus, with both being unsuccessful pursuits.
Centre-back: Fabio Cannavaro
Fabio Cannavaro became the second defender to win the Ballon d’Or in 2006. The Italian International had a stellar year by lifting the World Cup with Italy and La Liga with Real Madrid, but never got his hands on the Champions League. Since he spent the majority of his career with Parma, he was unable to bag more than 65 appearances in the Champions League. He never had the privilege to play in the Champions League final during his playing career.
Left-back: Gianluca Zambrotta
Gianluca Zambrotta played the majority of his career as a right-back, but sacrificed himself when his team was short of options through the left defensive flank. The Italian International played for Barcelona during a relatively dry spell. Either side of his time in Italy, the full-back enjoyed his time with AC Milan and Juventus but missed out on the Champions League glory in 2003. Ultimately, he ended his career with the Switz club Chiasso.
Central Midfield: Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack was a supremely talented player in the midfield department. The German International played for the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Bayer Leverkusen, but failed to lift the European tournament even once. The midfielder orchestrator started the final against Manchester United in 2008, but missed out on the trophy after getting edged on penalties by the Red Devils.
Central midfielder – Lothar Matthäus
World Cup winner, German Footballer of Year, European Footballer of the Year, World Player of the Year, seven-time Bundesliga winner, Germany’s most-capped player of all time. Lothar Matthaus has just about done it all. There’s something that is missing on his CV, as you’ve already guessed it, it’s the Champions League. He came incredibly close in 1999 before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham netted goals in the stoppage time to drift the game away from the Bavarians.
Central Midfielder: Pavel Nedved
Pavel Nedved, considered one of the best midfielders in the modern era, never featured in a Champions League final. The Czech International would have featured in 2003 final had he not accumulated too many yellow cards in previous games. With Lazio and Sparta Prague, he failed to claim the ultimate glory as well. If he had played that game, several Juventus legends wouldn’t have featured in this list, perhaps..
False nine/ second striker: Roberto Baggio
Arguably one of the finest attackers Italy has ever produced, it is sad that Roberto Baggio never won the Champions League. The Italian left Juventus in 1995. In the subsequent year, the Old Lady beat Ajax on penalties to win the penultimate Champions League. After leaving Juventus, he played for AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bologna, and Brescia. Despite featuring for some Italian heavyweights, he was never able to include Champions League in his resume.
Striker: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic played for eight different clubs in Europe including AC Milan, Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Manchester United, Paris Saint Germain, and Juventus. There are 24 titles between these clubs, but he never had an opportunity to get closer to the glory. The Swede International, now with MLS club LA Galaxy, has not played in a single Champions League final. His furthest is the Semifinals with Barcelona before falling out with Pep Guardiola.
Striker: Ronaldo
Perhaps the best ever number 9 in the game of football, Luis Ronaldo would’ve scripted himself in the history books if not of his knee, which never cooperated with him after a considerable amount of time – forcing him to call it quits. The Brazilian International was a treat to watch and won the league title with Real Madrid. He was part of the national team squad which went on to win the World Cup twice, but he not able to clinch the European glory during his joy-filled career.
