The Ballon d’Or is football’s most prestigious individual award, but reaching the podium does not always guarantee a place in its history as a winner.
Some of the game’s greatest players have come agonisingly close to claiming the Golden Ball, finishing among the top three on multiple occasions without ever lifting the trophy.
In total, 13 players have achieved multiple podium finishes in the final vote, without ever getting their hands on the famous award.
Bernd Schuster andXavi Hernandez hold the unwanted record for the most top-three finishes without Ballon d'Or success. Each featured on the Ballon d'Or podium on three occasions, with Schuster the first to achieve the feat in the 1980s.
The German was runner-up in 1980 after helping West Germany to European Championship success, and finished third in 1981 and 1985. Xavi secured a hat-trick of third-place finishes in consecutive years between 2009 and 2011, a period that included twoChampions League wins with Barcelona, and World Cup success with Spain.
Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe could both join this list on Monday night, with both expected to feature highly in the vote, after past podium placements.
From Barcelona legends Xavi and Andrés Iniesta to Premier League greatsThierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, these are the players who have enjoyed the most Ballon d’Or podium finishes without ever winning the award.