Players with most Ballon d’Or podium finishes without winning listed
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 26, 2026, 9:15 AM
Last updated Oct 26, 2026
The Ballon d’Or recognizes football's top talents, but some have not won the award despite multiple podium finishes. Bernd Schuster and Xavi Hernandez share the record for the most top-three finishes without winning, each finishing in the top three three times. Upcoming candidates Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe are expected to feature prominently in the next voting. Notable names include Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, who also finished among the podium ranks without securing the trophy.
- •13 players have multiple Ballon d’Or podium finishes without winning.
- •Bernd Schuster and Xavi Hernandez hold the record with three finishes each.
- •Schuster was runner-up in 1980 and finished third in 1981 and 1985.
- •Xavi finished third in consecutive years from 2009 to 2011.
- •Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe could join this list in the upcoming vote.
- 9:15 AMYahoo Sports — The players with the most Ballon d’Or podium finishes without winning
"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 co...
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