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Since the European Cup was rebranded as the Champions League in 1993, some of the greatest players have lifted the world’s most prestigious club title. Many greats have taken their clubs to the final and lost. Some of the greatest players though weren’t even able do that.
I had some spare time today so I decided on making a best XI of players who weren’t able to do that. The players included have either retired or are close to the end their careers. Players like De Gea and Aguero who still have a chance of winning it are therefore not included.
Goalkeeper: Joe Hart
Despite the heavy investment by their Abu Dhabi owners, Manchester City have flattered to deceive in the Champions League. They might win it this season when the virus pandemic ends but Hart, 33, is now at Burnley.
Photo: AP
Despite the heavy investment by their Abu Dhabi owners, Manchester City have flattered to deceive in the Champions League. They might win it this season when the virus pandemic ends but Hart, 33, is now at Burnley.
Photo: AP
Centre-back: Vincent Kompany
A Manchester City and Premier League legend and one of the best defenders the game has seen, Kompany too was unable to take City to a Champions League final. Now 34, he’s at Anderlecht.
Photo: Reuters
A Manchester City and Premier League legend and one of the best defenders the game has seen, Kompany too was unable to take City to a Champions League final. Now 34, he’s at Anderlecht.
Photo: Reuters
Centre-back: Fabio Cannavaro
In a career in which he led Italy to the 2006 FIFA World Cup title, picking up a Ballon d’Or for his exploits, Cannavaro wasn’t able to inspire any of his clubs to a Champions League final.
Photo: Getty Images
In a career in which he led Italy to the 2006 FIFA World Cup title, picking up a Ballon d’Or for his exploits, Cannavaro wasn’t able to inspire any of his clubs to a Champions League final.
Photo: Getty Images
Centre-back: Laurent Blanc
A high-scoring defender and a member the French team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup on home soil, Blanc couldn’t take any of his clubs to the Champions League final.
Photo: Unknown
A high-scoring defender and a member the French team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup on home soil, Blanc couldn’t take any of his clubs to the Champions League final.
Photo: Unknown
Defensive midfielder: Daniele De Rossi
One of two AS Roma legends in this line-up, and one of three players from Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad, you wonder how much he could’ve won if he’d been at some other club.
Photo: Getty Images
One of two AS Roma legends in this line-up, and one of three players from Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad, you wonder how much he could’ve won if he’d been at some other club.
Photo: Getty Images
Defensive midfielder: Phillip Cocu
A three-time Champions League semi-finalist, twice with Barcelona and once with PSV Eindhoven, Cocu was also a semi-finalist at three international tournaments - at the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 and 2004 Euros.
Photo: Unknown
A three-time Champions League semi-finalist, twice with Barcelona and once with PSV Eindhoven, Cocu was also a semi-finalist at three international tournaments - at the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 and 2004 Euros.
Photo: Unknown
Attacking midfielder: Francesco Totti
The Gladiator, the Captain, the Eighth King of Rome. You run out of superlatives while describing Totti - the one club man whose club could never reach a Champions League final.
Picture: Reuters
The Gladiator, the Captain, the Eighth King of Rome. You run out of superlatives while describing Totti - the one club man whose club could never reach a Champions League final.
Picture: Reuters
Attacking midfielder: Roberto Baggio
The Divine Ponytail joined Milan after they made it to the last of their three successive Champions League finals from 1993, leaving Juventus who started their run of three successive finals after his departure.
Photo: Unknown
The Divine Ponytail joined Milan after they made it to the last of their three successive Champions League finals from 1993, leaving Juventus who started their run of three successive finals after his departure.
Photo: Unknown
Striker: Ronaldo
El Fenomeno, a member of Brazil’s 2002 FIFA World Cup squad, lit up the Champions League well and truly in 2003 with a hat-trick at Old Trafford but couldn’t go beyond the semi-finals that year too.
Photo: Reuters
El Fenomeno, a member of Brazil’s 2002 FIFA World Cup squad, lit up the Champions League well and truly in 2003 with a hat-trick at Old Trafford but couldn’t go beyond the semi-finals that year too.
Photo: Reuters
Striker: Ruud Van Nistelrooy
The Dutchman was the ultimate goal-poacher. The sixth highest scorer in Champions League history unfortunately couldn’t take Manchester United or Real Madrid to the final.
Photo: PA
The Dutchman was the ultimate goal-poacher. The sixth highest scorer in Champions League history unfortunately couldn’t take Manchester United or Real Madrid to the final.
Photo: PA
Striker: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The only player to have represented seven clubs in the Champions League, the mercurial Swede was at Inter Milan when Barcelona won it in 2009 and at Barca when Inter won it the following year.
Photo: AP
The only player to have represented seven clubs in the Champions League, the mercurial Swede was at Inter Milan when Barcelona won it in 2009 and at Barca when Inter won it the following year.
Photo: AP
Honourable mentions: Aldair, Gabriel Batistuta, Alan Shearer, Eric Cantona, George Weah, Juninho Perunambucano, Juan Roman Riquelme, Lukas Podolski, Miroslav Klose, Christoph Metzelder, Gabriel Heinze.
