Thierry Henry, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are among the greatest players in Premier League history, yet none managed to win the Ballon d'Or. Remarkably, all three would also miss out on a place in our ultimate XI of football legends who never claimed the prestigious individual award.

As the 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony prepares to take place at London's Palladium Theatre on Monday, October 26, the occasion offers an opportunity to revisit some of the most extraordinary omissions in the trophy's history.

From World Cup winners to Champions League icons, countless players have enjoyed remarkable careers without receiving football's most coveted individual distinction. Some were overshadowed by exceptional rivals, while others came agonisingly close before missing their opportunity.

Our selection follows one important rule: only players who were eligible for the award during their careers can be considered. That excludes the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona, who were not eligible during their playing days because the Ballon d'Or was restricted to European footballers until 1995.

The result is a formidable 4-3-3 featuring legends of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan – but with some particularly difficult decisions involving Premier League greats.

Our greatest XI never to win the Ballon d'Or (4-3-3)

Henry and Lewandowski lose out as Puskas leads extraordinary attack

Few decisions are more contentious than leaving Thierry Henry out of a team celebrating the greatest footballers never to win the Ballon d'Or.

The former Arsenal captain was runner-up in 2003, finished third in 2006 and fourth in 2004. A two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner? Henry went considerably further, collecting the award on four occasions while establishing himself as one of the competition's defining forwards.

His role in Arsenal's Invincibles season and his contribution to France's World Cup and European Championship triumphs underline the extraordinary strength of his candidature.

Yet our centre-forward position goes to Ferenc Puskas, whose achievements with Real Madrid and Hungary make him almost impossible to overlook.

The Hungarian finished second in the 1960 Ballon d'Or voting and helped Madrid win three European Cups, scoring four times in their celebrated 7-3 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1960 final.

Puskas is preferred not because Henry's achievements were insufficient, but because his dominance of European football provides an equally compelling claim.

Robert Lewandowski presents another difficult omission.

The Polish striker finished second in 2021, but his greatest opportunity arguably disappeared in 2020, when France Football cancelled the award because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lionel Messi has beaten some big names to win the Ballon d'Or in recent years ? 2019: Virgil van Dijk ? 2021: Robert Lewandowski ? 2023: Erling Haaland ? https://t.co/Thn4C7peU2

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 30, 2023

Lewandowski had inspired Bayern Munich to a historic treble and was widely regarded as the outstanding candidate. Unlike several other players on this list, he never even received the opportunity to contest that year's vote.

On the right wing, Arjen Robben earns his place after a career defined by extraordinary individual skill and decisive performances.

The Dutchman finished fourth in 2014 and scored the winning goal in Bayern's 2013 Champions League final victory over Borussia Dortmund.

His former teammate Franck Ribery also has a powerful case, having finished third behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in 2013 despite Bayern's treble-winning campaign.

However, our left-wing position goes to Kylian Mbappe, the only player in the starting XI who still has an opportunity to win the trophy.

The Real Madrid forward finished third in 2023 and has repeatedly featured among the leading contenders. His remarkable World Cup record and extraordinary goalscoring achievements already place him among the most accomplished attackers of his generation.

Neymar, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Vinicius Junior are other notable absentees from an attacking selection in which even Henry and Lewandowski cannot find room.

Gerrard and Lampard overlooked as Barcelona legends dominate midfield

The Premier League's most celebrated midfielders face equally formidable competition.

Steven Gerrard finished third in the 2005 Ballon d'Or voting after captaining Liverpool to their unforgettable Champions League triumph in Istanbul.

That same year, Frank Lampard came even closer, finishing second behind Ronaldinho following Chelsea's first Premier League title under Jose Mourinho.

David Beckham, another English football icon, had previously finished runner-up to Rivaldo in 1999 after Manchester United's historic treble.

All three would strengthen almost any fantasy XI, yet our midfield is built around two Spanish players who defined an era of international and club football.

Together, they were central to Barcelona's extraordinary success under Pep Guardiola and Spain's unprecedented run of three successive major international trophies between 2008 and 2012.

Iniesta's exclusion from the 2010 winners' list remains particularly debated, given that he scored Spain's winning goal in the World Cup final against the Netherlands.

Completing our midfield is Andrea Pirlo, the Italian playmaker who finished fifth in 2007 and seventh in 2012.

His vision, passing range and ability to dictate the tempo of matches made him indispensable to both AC Milan and Juventus, while he also helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup.

Gerrard and Lampard were more direct attacking threats, but Pirlo's presence alongside Xavi and Iniesta creates a midfield built around exceptional technical intelligence and control.

Further competition comes from Wesley Sneijder, Toni Kroos, Sergio Busquets and Yaya Toure, demonstrating how difficult it is to select just three players.

The defensive unit is dominated by Italian and Brazilian legends.

Paolo Maldini, who finished third in 1994 and 2003, partners Franco Baresi, the 1989 runner-up, at centre-back. Both were central figures in AC Milan's European dominance and are widely regarded among the greatest defenders in football history.

Cafu takes the right-back position after appearing in three consecutive World Cup finals with Brazil, winning two of them.

On the opposite flank, Roberto Carlos gets the nod. The former Real Madrid full-back finished second to Ronaldo in the 2002 Ballon d'Or voting following a season in which he won both the Champions League and the World Cup.

Virgil van Dijk, who missed out to Lionel Messi by just seven points in 2019, is perhaps the most unfortunate omission from this back four. Sergio Ramos, Alessandro Nesta, Philipp Lahm and Carles Puyol also deserve consideration.

Finally, Gianluigi Buffon is selected in goal.

The Italian finished second behind compatriot Fabio Cannavaro in 2006, the year he helped Italy become world champions. Manuel Neuer, third in 2014, and Iker Casillas provide serious competition, but Buffon's longevity and consistency earn him the position.

Ultimately, the absence of Henry, Gerrard and Lampard says more about the extraordinary strength of this imaginary team than about their individual achievements.

? Ronaldinho ? Frank Lampard ? Steven Gerrard ? On this day, in 2005, Ronaldinho won his first and only Ballon d'Or. ? ?️ Diego Maradona: “He is one of the greatest players I have ever seen." ?️ Neymar “No one can compare to Ronaldinho." ?️ Deco: “Ronaldinho was more talented than Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo." ?️ Zinedine Zidane: “Ronaldinho is total class – a very, very great player.”

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) November 28, 2025

The three Premier League icons remain among the greatest players never to win the Ballon d'Or, regardless of their exclusion from our starting lineup.

There is also an intriguing twist ahead of Monday's ceremony: Henry will help present the awards in London, while Mbappe remains among the contenders to receive the men's prize.

Should the French forward finally lift the trophy, this extraordinary XI would immediately need a new left winger.