And Djimi Traore has.
The best club competition in football returns this week as Rael Madrid aim to defend their Champions League crown.
While Los Blancos have been incredibly successful in recent years, some players have gone their entire career without lifting ‘Old Big Ears’.
For the purpose of this list, we’re stating that every player included here has to be involved in at least 5 Champions League campaigns or more.
Here’s our best XI, lining out in a 4-3-3 formation.
GK: Gianluigi Buffon
Closest he got: Beaten finalist in 02-03 and 14-15.
RB: Lilian Thuram
Closest he got: Beaten finalist in 02-03.
CB: Fabio Cannavaro
Closest he got: The semi-finals of the 02-03 campaign with Inter Milan.
CB: Lothar Matthaus
Closest he got: Midfielder by trade but later used as a sweeper, the German’s shellshocked face after the ’99 Champions League final defeat to Man Utd was one of its defining images.
LB: Gianluca Zambrotta
Closest he got: It’s hard to find lefties to give this side some balance but the Italian World Cup winner was a seasoned Champions League veteran with Barca, Milan and Juventus – appearing in The Old Lady’s defeat by AC Milan in 03 but never winning the trophy.
DM – Patrick Viera
Closest he got: He never got past the quarter final stages with Arsenal, Inter, Juventus or Man City.
RM: Michael Ballack
Closest he got: Runner-up with Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea.
LM: Pavel Nedved
Closest he got: The supremely gifted Czech star lost the 2002-03 final to AC Milan.
Number 10: Dennis Bergkamp
Closest he got: Quarter-finals with Arsenal.
CF: Ruud Van Nistelrooy
Closest he got: Semi-final in the 01-02 season.
CF: Ronaldo
Closest he got: Semi-final with Real Madrid in 2002-03 and was cup tied during AC Milan’s title win of ’07.
Here’s the team in full.
I can already hear some complaints about Zlatan’s omission from the side. Ask yourself this question, him or Bergkamp?
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