Lewandowski, Xavi and more: The greatest XI not to have won the Ballon d'Or

Defender - Franco Baresi (Italy)

Franco Baresi in action for AC Milan

Like the previous man on this list, Franco Baresi, too, was an Italy and AC Milan captain for many years. Baresi spent the entirety of his 20-year career in Milan, captaining the side for 15 seasons. What makes that all the more incredible is that Baresi was rejected by Inter Milan's youth team, who chose his brother Giuseppe instead. Little did they know at the time what they had let slip through their fingers.

Baresi was another highly successful Milan captain. He won six Serie A titles, four Supercopa Italiana, three UEFA Champions League titles, two European Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cups during his time with the club.

Franco Baresi did well with Italy too, winning the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He was part of the side that finished runners-up in 1994 and in third place in 1990. His achievements speak for themselves, so Baresi makes our hypothetical team.

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Defender - Dani Alves (Brazil)

Dani Alves proudly shows off his gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Dani Alves is the most successful player to have lived, if only the number of trophies won are considered. The Brazilian full-back has won a whopping 43 career trophies, more than any other player in the game's history.

He began his career at Esporte Bahia, a football club based in Salvador, Brazil. Alves then moved to Seville in Spain where he caught Barcelona's attention during his six-year tenure.

It was during his time at Barcelona that Alves gained international fame and acclaim, making it the most successful phase of his illustrious career. He also had spells at Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Sao Paolo. He has recently returned to Barcelona.

Alves has won nine domestic league titles, 11 domestic cup competitions, four UEFA Super Cups, two UEFA Cups (now Europa League), three Champions League titles and three FIFA Club World Cups during his time in Europe. He has also won two Copa America and two Confederations Cup titles with Brazil.

Alves was a key player going forward for his teams, scoring 59 goals and providing 168 assists from the right-back spot. His productivity at both ends of the pitch combined with trophies won make him an easy pick for this list.

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Midfielder - Xavi Hernandez (Spain)

Xavi Hernandez in action for FC Barcelona vs Club Leon - Joan Gamper Trophy

Xavi Hernandez was one of the main players for Barcelona in the 2000s and early 2010s, dazzling everyone with their swift passing moves. The maestro was renowned for his passing range, vision, playing on the half-turn as well as ball retention and positional play.

Between his debut in 1997 and retirement in 2019, Xavi played a mind-boggling 1,148 games. That places him sixth on the list of all-time appearances. He is the top-ranked outfield player with the most professional games, though.

At Barcelona, Xavi won eight La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey cups, six Supercopa de Espana cups, four UEFA Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups. He was also the man pulling the strings in Spain's triumphs at the FIFA World Cup (2010) and consecutive UEFA Euro wins (2008, 2012).

Although his game is beyond recognition via awards and personal accolades, Xavi came close to winning the Ballon d'Or award in 2009, 2010 and 2011. But he finished in third place on all three occasions. The way he made Barcelona tick during their peak years makes the current Barcelona manager a no-brainer to have on this list.

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Midfielder - Frank Lampard (England)

Former Chelsea player and manager Frank Lampard during a game against Southampton.

Frank Lampard was one of England's and Chelsea's greatest midfielders, mainly owing to his goalscoring abilities. He finished as Chelsea's all-time top scorer with 211 goals across competitions for the club. Lampard is the only midfielder with more than 150 Premier League goals.

At Chelsea, the Englishman won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one UEFA Champions League title and one Europa League trophy. He scored 267 goals and provided 176 assists during his club career, making him an important asset in attack.

Lampard came closes to winning the Ballon d'Or award in 2005 when he finished runner-up to the Brazilian maestro Ronaldinho. However, due to his trophy cabinet and impact at Chelsea as a goalscorer, Lampard merits a spot on this list.