Lifting the FIFA World Cup could be the top of any footballer’s profession, it’s what each certainly one of them dream of when rising up.
Sadly, a number of the most interesting gamers within the stunning recreation’s historical past have been denied the chance to take action. Some represented nations that had no likelihood of profitable the event, others got here inside touching distance of the trophy.
FootTheBall takes a have a look at these nice gamers who missed out on soccer’s most prestigious trophy there’s.
Lionel Messi – Argentina
Leo Messi got here so near profitable the World Cup in 2014 however misplaced the ultimate to Germany by a 1-0 margin. The little magician was a standout participant within the 2014 world cup and received the Golden ball.
Nevertheless, that’s not what he was searching for because the participant usually says many occasions “My goal is to win Worldcup with Argentina”. The little magician received the Copa America 2021 with Argentina and with that received his first Worldwide trophy. He’s now aiming to win this 12 months’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
He shall be in motion in Qatar which shall be his last main event with Argentina.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal
What’s there to say about Cristiano Ronaldo that hasn’t been mentioned earlier than? Folks have differing opinions about his all-round capacity, however nobody doubts the energy of his ending. Even those that consider him to be overrated are unsettled when he collects possession in opposition to their beloved membership, fearing an unstoppable drive or a slick piece of talent.
Having received virtually every little thing in his illustrious profession – together with the 2016 Euros and 2019 Nations League with Portugal – there’s one obtrusive omission from his trophy cupboard, and at 37 years of age, it’s troublesome to see him rectifying that.
World Cup Staff Roster: a thread
Luis Enrique revealed a really daring 26 gamers squad for Spain🔥
No Thiago, David de Gea or Ramos within the squad❌#LetsQatar #RoadtoQatar #FIFAWorldCup2022 pic.twitter.com/1lzTdx5IBl
— FootTheBall FC (@FootTheBallFC) November 11, 2022
Johan Cruyff – Netherlands
Thought to be one of the best European participant of all time and founding father of Complete Soccer, John Cruyff by no means received a single version of the FIFA World Cup. Johan Cruyff took the Netherlands to 2 finals however didn’t handle to win.
In 1974, Johan Cruyff’s workforce was the new favorite to win it however luck had different plans. His archrival Gerd Muller scored the profitable purpose and handed him one of many world cup finals losses.
Paolo Maldini – Italy
It’s one factor to play skilled soccer for twenty-four years; it’s one thing fully totally different to take action as a left-back and preserve consistently-high efficiency ranges all through.
However, all 4 of Maldini’s World Cup campaigns resulted in disappointment, an consequence that was maybe made extra irritating by Italy’s success within the first event after is worldwide retirement.
Then once more, he could also be fairly glad with profitable the FIFA Membership World Cup in 2007 with Milan, plus the seven Serie A titles and 5 European Cups that got here his method throughout a career-long love affair with the Rossoneri.
Oliver Kahn – Germany
The one goalkeeper to be awarded the Golden Ball was additionally the villain in Germany’s 2002 loss to Brazil in Yokohama. It was Kahn who gifted Ronaldo the opener within the second-half, however his standing amongst the sport’s greats is just not remotely harmed by that error.
Should you by no means watched the Bayern shot-stopper play, simply think about how unbelievable Manuel Neuer was till 2017 and mix in with the brilliance of prime Iker Casillas.
Michel Platini – France
The present UEFA president fashioned the center of the 1984 European champions, scoring 9 objectives in simply 5 matches. Platini performed within the World Cup in 1978, 1982 and 1986, however one of the best France may do in these tournaments was attain the semi-finals in ’82 and ’86. Throughout a five-year stretch within the mid 1980’s, he received two Serie A titles and a European Cup with Juventus.
Eusebio – Portugal
Reaching the 1966 World Cup last and just about single-handedly carrying Portugal to the finals was the spotlight of Eusebio’s profession. He’s additionally one of many high 10 gamers to have scored essentially the most objectives in skilled soccer. Eusebio was the Pele of a really mediocre Portugal facet.
Marco Van Basten – Netherlands
One of many biggest strikers of all-time, Marco van Basten performed solely a single World Cup in 1990. The Netherlands bowed out early within the competitors, within the second spherical.
The striker was pressured to retire on the age of 30 following a collection of accidents, which introduced the curtains down on an exquisite profession during which he scored 218 objectives from 280 membership matches and 24 objectives in 58 matches for his nationwide facet.
Ferenc Puskas – Hungary
The legendary striker who scored objectives for enjoyable additionally didn’t win the World Cup. Puskas scored 514 objectives within the 530 matches he performed at membership stage, whereas he additionally scored 84 objectives from 85 video games for Hungary.
He performed 1954 World Cup with Hungary profitable the Golden Ball. Hungary completed as the runners-up in 1954. The striker performed the 1962 World Cup with Spain after migrating to the nation a number of years earlier. Nevertheless, La Roja have been knocked out within the group phases.
Alfredo Di Stefano – Argentina
If the Actual Madrid of the previous decade has belonged to Ronaldo, then Los Blancos of the Fifties and Sixties is no doubt Di Stefano’s.
The Argentina-born Spaniard was the driving pressure behind 5 consecutive European Cup triumphs, but he couldn’t carry the identical success to any of the nationwide groups he represented. Each Spain and his nation of beginning have been nonetheless creating as footballing nations, whereas a four-cap spell with Colombia was by no means going to yield Wold Cup immortality, not that he wanted it given his rating in Madrid.