The FIFA World Cup remains football's ultimate prize, but some of the sport's greatest names never managed to lift the trophy despite legendary careers.
From near-misses in finals to heartbreaking exits and missed opportunities, several iconic footballers retired without winning the biggest title in the game.
Even stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Johan Cruyff feature on that list.
Here are five football legends who never won the FIFA World Cup:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Cristiano Ronaldo has never won the FIFA World Cup despite appearing in five World Cups between 2006 and 2022.
Portugal's best finish during that span came in 2006, when the team reached the semifinals.
Ronaldo's standout World Cup performance came in 2018, when he scored a memorable hat-trick against Spain in the group stage.
However, Portugal has never reached a World Cup final during his career.
2. Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
Johan Cruyff led the Netherlands to the 1974 FIFA World Cup final, where the Dutch side lost 2-1 to West Germany despite entering the match as favorites.
Cruyff is widely regarded as one of football's greatest innovators, transforming the sport with the philosophy of "Total Football."
3. Ferenc Puskás (Hungary)
Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskás remains one of the game's greatest goal scorers, with more than 600 career goals.
Puskás captained Hungary during the 1954 World Cup, where the heavily favored side reached the final against West Germany.
Hungary lost 3-2 in what later became known as the "Miracle of Bern."
4. Eusébio (Portugal)
Eusébio had already established himself as one of the sport's most feared forwards before Ronaldo became Portugal's biggest football icon.
The striker scored more than 700 goals in his career and starred at the 1966 FIFA World Cup, where Portugal finished third.
Eusébio ended the tournament as the top scorer, but Portugal never advanced to a World Cup final during his playing days.
5. Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina/Spain)
Alfredo Di Stéfano is widely considered one of the greatest all-around footballers in history.
The Real Madrid legend helped the Spanish club dominate Europe, winning five consecutive European Cups between 1956 and 1960.
However, a combination of injuries, nationality complications and qualification issues meant Di Stéfano never played in a FIFA World Cup match.
