5 Ballon d'Or winners who never won the Champions League

#3 Pavel Nedved - Ballon d\'Or winner (2003)

Pavel Nedved was an able replacement for Zinedine Zidane at Juventus

One of the best if not the best footballer to emerge from the Czech republic, Pavel Nedved was a midfielder par excellence. The Czech midfielder had his most successful spell with Juventus and was a firm fan favourite for his brilliant displays on the football pitch.

Nedved played nine seasons for Juventus and even played for them when they were demoted to the Serie B due to the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal. A complete, tenacious and consistent two-footed player, Nedved frequently played as a left-sided, offensive wide midfielder or as a left-winger throughout his career.

Nedved came closest to winning the Champions League in the 2003 UEFA Champions League final against Milan. Although he was instrumental in Juventus’ run to the final, Nedved had to tragically sit out the finals because of an accumulation of yellow cards after his semi-final booking for a foul on Real Madrid midfielder Steve Mcmanaman.

The result might have very well been different if Nedved had played the finals against AC Milan.