10 great players to have never won the Champions League

By Rushabh Shah

Modified May 04, 2018 21:30 GMT

The legendary keeper seems to have played in his last UCL match after the dramatic loss to Real Madrid. — Buffon seems to have played in his last Champions League match after the dramatic loss to Real Madrid

#4 Ruud van Nistelrooy

Ruud Van Nistelrooy of Manchester United celebrates after Mikael Silvestre of Manchester United scores — Ruud Van Nistelrooy has been the top scorer of the tournament three times

UCL Appearances: 73

Goals scored: 56

Teams played for in UCL: PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid.

Highest stage reached in UCL: Semi-Finals (Manchester United).

56 Champions League goals - Nistelrooy is probably the highest goal-scorer on this list to have not won the Champions League. To make it worse, he has been the top scorer in the tournament thrice (2001–02, 2002–03, and 2004–05).

Nistelrooy joined Manchester United two seasons after they won their historic treble in 1999. And unfortunately, he left it two seasons before they won their next.

Eerily, Madrid also won the continental cup two seasons after Nistelrooy left the Spanish capital for Hamburger SV.

In 2002, he came closest to the Champions League Final when Manchester United faced Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals of the tournament.

However, United exited after drawing both the matches (2-2 at Old Trafford and 1-1 in Germany).