5 players who could win a Ballon d'Or if it wasn't for goal scoring

Cristiano, Leo, Leo, Leo, Leo, Cristiano, Cristiano, Leo, Cristiano, Cristiano. From 2008 to 2017, this is the story of the past decade when it comes to Ballon d'Or.

Not just in recent history but since the beginning of the time, the award for the best footballer has been bagged by forwards or attacking midfielders. There are just three instances since 1956 where a defender has claimed the Ballon d'Or. Franz Beckenbauer in 1972 and 1976 and Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.

Goal scorers often steal the limelight off the playmakers or impenetrable defenders. Even though a midfielder delivers an impeccable pass and makes the striker's job easy, glory always goes to the latter. Similar is the case of the defenders who make it hell at times for the oppositions attackers and prove to be their nightmare.

By now, footballing fans know that you win trophies, moreover, you score goals and you get the Ballon d'Or. Well, of course, there is nothing wrong about it as goals win matches but on the other hand, the game of football and the ability of a footballer can't be squared down to just scoring goals.

In this slideshow, we shall talk about few players who often get shadowed by goal-scoring strikers in recent times.

Let's take a look at 5 such brilliant players who could win the Ballon d'Or if it wasn't for goal scoring:

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#5 SERGIO BUSQUETS:

Surprisingly, Busquets has failed to even make it into the Ballon d'Or Top 30 list till date.

If there is a name which is pundits' favorite then it is Sergio Busquets. He is quite often praised by legends and the media for his stellar performances on the club and International levels. Regarding his positioning capabilities, late football legend Johan Cruyff had once said, "Positionally, he seems like a veteran with or without the ball."

The Barcelona man is a complete holding midfielder who is a perfect blend of hard work and brilliance in terms of playing style. Busquets is very much influential at the center of the turf where he aids the attackers and defenders in equal measure. The Spaniard possesses every attribute, be it vision, creativity, ball control and passing accuracy which makes him a perfect deep-lying playmaker.

Having played alongside the likes of midfield maestros Xavi and Iniesta for both Barcelona and Spain, Busquets got shadowed time and again. Presently, Iniesta and Rakitic are the prominent figures in midfield and having goal machines Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in the team makes Busquets' contributions go unnoticed.

Former Spanish National Team manager Vincent del Bosque once stated, "If you watch the whole game, you won't see Busquets but watch Busquets, and you will see the whole game." Such is the impact of this World Cup winner.

At the age of 29, the Catalan midfielder's achievements are vast already.

He has won 6 x La Liga, 5 x Copa Del Rey, 5 x Spanish Super Cup, 3 x UEFA Champions League, 3 x UEFA Super Cup, 3 x FIFA World Cup with Barcelona and 1 x FIFA World Cup, 1 x UEFA European Championship (Euros). Thankfully the list ends here for now.

Though Busquets doesn't have a mammoth number of individual goals scored, there is a reason why he always is a part of both, Spain and Barcelona's starting XI. His flair!

#4 LUKA MODRIC:

Modric won the FIFA Club World Cup '17 Golden Ball, beating Cristiano Ronaldo

Luka Modric or Magician Modric as the fans call him fits the Real Madrid shirt number 10 in every way. Such is the display of this 5 feet 8 midfielder that despite the smallest figure on the pitch, he can make the tallest ones look tiny with his skills.

Modric is widely appreciated as one of the greatest midfielders of the present time. His versatility and smart style of play have left everyone awestruck on numerous occasions. The Croatian has proven that he can play anywhere in midfield. For the very same reason, his current club, Real Madrid have a great asset with them.

Since arriving at the Spanish capital from Spurs, Modric has been a permanent name in the team's starting XI. His ball control helps him play an integral role in terms of holding the possession. One must've hardly seen him losing the ball to the opposition.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man is a quick and creative playmaker who has the ability to change the nature of the game with just one single neat pass (which at times is more beautiful than the goal itself). Being a gifted player who can use both his feet while playing, Modric is a decent long-range shooter as well. The Magician is also known for his long/short passing accuracy. Another notable feature of Luka Modric is his "outfoot ability". The Los Blancos midfielder can control the ball or make an inch-perfect pass using the outside of his boot.

Being a master of pre-assists, Modric comes off as a whole package and his dribbling attribute adds to the lot many skills possessed by the Croatian. To conclude, Luka Modric is a player who makes other players look good.

Playing in the same team as 5-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, it is nearly impossible that Modric would get a shot at fame to walk at the gala and claim the award for himself. But, it doesn't mean he doesn't deserve the Ballon d'Or award. The closest he came to the Ballon d'Or is this year where he finished 5th.

#3 DAVID DE GEA:

David de Gea has the most number of clean sheets(15) so far in EPL

If a goalkeeper has earned so much fame then he has to be outstanding right? Such is the story of Manchester United's shot-stopper, David de Gea.

At the age of 27, de Gea is a talent at par with the likes of Oliver Kahn, Iker Casillas, Manuel Neuer and Gigi Buffon. As per the recent Ballon d'Or rankings, David de Gea ended up as the 20th best footballer in the world and is the only goalkeeper in the top 23-man list other than the 4th placed Gianluigi Buffon.

David de Gea is a player who fought his way until the top. The Spaniard had started his stint at La Liga team Atletico Madrid with whom he had won the Europa League at the age of 19 years. He began his career as a 3rd choice keeper, later earning the number 1 spot in the team and has never looked back since then. His performances earned him praises from his compatriot Iker Casillas and then Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson who traveled to Spain for the sole purpose of watching him play.

Ever since donning Manchester United's jersey in 2011, de Gea has been stellar with his display. Edwin van der Sar, the former United goalkeeper tipped de Gea to be the best keeper in the next ten years and boy was he right!

Coming to the present scenario, David de Gea has helped Manchester United to 15 clean sheets so far in the Premier League which makes them the team with the best defence. He has also appeared in the PFA Team of the Year 4 times.

For all these achievements, one can surely say that de Gea deserves more. It will be only a matter of time until Manchester United starts winning trophies and de Gea might surprise the world with his accolades, such is his prowess.

#2 SERGIO RAMOS:

Sergio Ramos is also called as the "late goal specialist".

Minuto 93!!

The above-mentioned expression is enough to define the Galacticos' captain fantastic, Sergio Ramos. There is a saying among the football fans that, need a late goal? Call Ramos, maybe. Well, Ramos has surely earned that over time with his sheer consistency.

Sergio Ramos has traveled a long way from being merely labeled as a reckless defender to a classy, sensible leader and an anchor of the defence. The Spaniard has a record 8 appearances in the FIFA FIFPro XI for a defender. He also has appeared in the UEFA Team Of The Season seven times. The list doesn't end here as Ramos has also been named La Liga's Best Defender a record four times.

Ramos is widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation and it was under his captaincy that Real Madrid lifted their 33rd La Liga Trophy after years of Barca dominance.

For a centre-back, Ramos has shown incredible goal scoring instincts. Though he holds the record for the most red cards in La Liga, the Galacticos captain is also the first defender to score in 14 straight La Liga seasons. He has several times played the role of a right-back and a defensive midfielder as well.

The number of trophies and accolades possessed by the 31-year-old is unimaginable. He has won 4 x La Liga, 3 x Copa del Rey, 3 x Spanish Super Cup, 3 x UEFA Champions League, 3 x UEFA Super Cup and 3 x FIFA Club World Cup with Real Madrid. While with Spain he has won 1 FIFA World Cup, 2 x Euros and 1 Euro U19 Championship.

Sergio Ramos' versatility has earned him spots in the Ballon d'Or Top 23 list on many occasions. As per the recent 2017 Ballon d'Or rankings, Sergio Ramos stands 6th and is the only defender in the Top-20.

With his impressive aerial abilities, strength, speed and leadership skills, Sergio Ramos is truly a favorite for the Ballon d'Or if it wasn't about the number of goals scored.

#1 KEVIN DE BRUYNE:

With 14 assists and 7 goals so far in the EPL, De Bruyne seems to be on a dream run.

Kevin De Bruyne is the player who stands among all the others in the list. Reason? He scores goals too! While we say that De Bruyne scores goals, let's not forget that his comparison made here is with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi whose goal numbers are inhuman.

The 26-year-old Belgian was a passive figure in the footballing world. During his stint at Chelsea, it can be said that he didn't enjoy much of the limelight or playing time, which resulted in him being loaned out to Werder Bremen. His return to the Stamford Bridge after the loan spell wasn't fruitful either.

Eventually, De Bruyne was sold to the German side Wolfsburg, where he came out with flying colors. It was his stellar performance in the 2014-15 Bundesliga season that caught Manchester City's attention. He finished the season with 16 goals and 27 assists in all competitions for Wolfsburg before packing his bags and leaving for the Etihad Stadium. Since then, the midfielder's graph has just been rising.

He was a part of 2016 Ballon d'Or list of Top-23 players and as per the recent Ballon d'Or rankings, he is placed 14th and is the only Manchester City player to feature in the Top-30.

Citizens boss Pep Guardiola had high praise for his midfield master claiming that he sees everyone and everything on the pitch. The number 17 is truly a master of assists. He was the player with most assists in the previous season with 18. In this season again, he is the one leading the race with 14 assists to his name already.

If City go on to win silverware this season, it is most likely that Kevin De Bruyne will make it into the Top-3 for the Ballon d'Or. Who knows, he might even win it.