Since 1995, the Ballon d'Or has been open to non-European players, becoming football's most prestigious individual award. Since then, 17 players have been honored, including George Weah; the Brazilian quartet of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaka; Lionel Messi with a record 8 wins; and Cristiano Ronaldo with 5.

Other worthy winners include Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Michael Owen, Pavel Nedved, Andriy Shevchenko, Fabio Cannavaro, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema, and most recently, Rodri. However, history also remembers equally brilliant superstars who never won the Ballon d'Or.

Here are 10 of the greatest players who missed out on this award, according to Goal.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored 511 goals in 866 club matches and 62 goals in 122 international matches. He won 32 trophies but never the Champions League. This often excluded him from Ballon d'Or contention, despite holding the record for scoring for six clubs in the Champions League.

Ibrahimovic's best Ballon d'Or finish was 4th in 2014.

Raul Gonzalez scored 228 goals in 550 matches, contributing significantly to Real Madrid's three Champions League titles and six La Liga titles. His peak was the 2000-2001 season, when he won both the La Liga and Champions League Golden Boot. However, that year's Ballon d'Or went to Michael Owen, who scored fewer goals but won a treble with Liverpool.

At the international level, Raul played in three World Cups and two European Championships for Spain. He was named in the Euro 2000 Team of the Tournament, captained Spain in 2002, and retired from international football in 2006.

Paolo Maldini is an eternal symbol of AC Milan and Italian football. He played 25 years for Milan, winning 5 Champions Leagues and 7 Serie A titles. Maldini was versatile at both center-back and left-back, renowned for his reading of the game and stamina.

Despite being considered one of the most complete defenders in history, Maldini only once reached the Ballon d'Or top three, after his outstanding performance in the 2003 Champions League final. The Italian legend exemplifies how individual awards often favor attacking players.

Xavi Hernandez, the "brain" of Barcelona and the Spanish national team during their golden age, won 4 Champions Leagues, 8 La Ligas, two European Championships, and a World Cup. He finished third in the Ballon d'Or three consecutive times from 2009 to 2011, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

While not a prolific goalscorer, Xavi orchestrated play, helping both Barcelona and Spain dominate world football. He is widely considered one of the best playmakers in history.

Luis Suarez terrorized European defenses throughout the 2010s. He scored 31 goals in the 2013-2014 Premier League season, nearly leading Liverpool to the title, and later formed the legendary MSN trio with Lionel Messi and Neymar at Barcelona.

The Uruguayan striker scored 59 goals in the 2015-2016 season, won the Champions League, and was a multiple La Liga top scorer. However, Suarez never reached the Ballon d'Or top three, partly due to off-field controversies like his suspension at the 2014 World Cup, and partly due to playing in Messi's shadow.

Robert Lewandowski was a "victim" of the 2020 Ballon d'Or cancellation due to Covid-19. That year, the Polish striker exploded with 55 goals, helping Bayern Munich win the treble. A year later, he scored 62 goals but still finished behind Messi.

In 8 seasons at Bayern, Lewandowski scored 30 or more Bundesliga goals five times. Since joining Barcelona in 2022, he has maintained his impressive form, surpassing 100 goals in just three years. With 85 goals for Poland, Lewandowski is considered the greatest center-forward never to win the Ballon d'Or.

Neymar scored 181 goals and provided numerous assists in 186 matches for Barcelona, winning 8 trophies, including the 2015 Champions League. The Brazilian star twice finished third in the Ballon d'Or. But after joining PSG for a record fee, his career stagnated due to injuries and lifestyle choices.

Internationally, Neymar surpassed Pele to become Brazil's all-time leading scorer. However, many experts believe he wasted his peak years, missing the opportunity to succeed Messi and Ronaldo.

Wayne Rooney debuted in the Premier League at 16 and became a Manchester United legend with a record 253 goals. The former England striker won five Premier League titles and one Champions League, also captaining England from 2014 to 2017.

Rooney's highest Ballon d'Or finish was 5th in 2011. Despite frequent criticism, Rooney provided countless iconic moments, from his volley against Newcastle to his overhead kick in the Manchester derby. He is considered England's greatest player of the modern era.

Thierry Henry scored 226 goals for Arsenal, won four Premier League Golden Boots, and led the Gunners to two league titles, including the Invincibles season of 2003-2004. He is also one of two players to reach 20 assists in a Premier League season.

Despite an explosive 2002-2003 season with 32 goals and 20 assists, Henry finished second in the Ballon d'Or behind Czech Republic's Pavel Nedved. After leaving Arsenal, he won the Champions League with Barcelona and the World Cup and European Championship with France. Henry is considered the best striker in Premier League history.

Andres Iniesta, Spain's hero in the 2010 World Cup final, is hailed as one of the most complete midfielders ever, thanks to his ball control, ability to escape pressure, and make a difference in crucial moments. He won four Champions Leagues with Barcelona and two European Championships and a World Cup with Spain.

Iniesta finished second in the 2010 Ballon d'Or behind Messi and third in 2012. In 2018, France Football admitted that the former Spanish midfielder never winning the award was a "democratic injustice".

Hong Duy