It’s a common misconception that football is all about the big players winning big games. Over the years, several of the greatest players in history have done this. Football, like life, doesn’t always go as planned, though, particularly on the most important occasions.
Since the calibre of the players on the following list is undeniable, there will undoubtedly be some dispute surrounding it. Their contributions to cup finals over the course of their careers, however, are debatable. The top ten players who “never showed up” in cup finals are listed here.
Factors that rank
Star quality: a player’s level of fame.
Final figures: how many major events a player has participated in.
anonymity—the extent to which they were overlooked in the cup final—for instance, a deficiency in goals.
10Lothar Matthaus
Germany
Lothar Matthaus, a former captain of West Germany, is among the best centre midfielders since 1990. He led the Germans to a highly significant World Cup victory in 1990. They defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final, and he would later raise the trophy in Rome. The penalty spot was the source of the goal.
Matthaus had scored the game-winning penalty kick in the quarterfinals against the Czechs and again in the penalty shootout semi-final victory against England, so it made sense that he would take that one. However, due to Matthaus reportedly having boot issues, Andreas Brehme took and scored Germany’s penalty:
I had to use brand-new boots for the second part because the sole cracked; I had never worn them before. They were an entirely different model. I didn’t have a second pair of boots with me, but I always liked well-worn boots.
As a result, Matthaus declined the chance to assume accountability for winning the World Cup for his nation.
9Hugo Loris
France
at 2018, Hugo Loris played for France at the World Cup. However, he made a dreadful mistake in the final when he attempted to dribble past Mario Mandzukic of Croatia, who duly robbed him and scored. Loris participated in and lost two other significant French finals: the 2022 World Cup final and the 2016 Euro final.
He would have been disappointed if Eder had defeated him from outside the box in the Paris Euro final. Additionally, he participated in three cup finals for Spurs, all of which ended in defeat. Despite his mistake, Loris would undoubtedly remind out that he was the captain who won the World Cup in 2018.
8Alan Shearer
England
The greatest Premier League scorer of all time is Alan Shearer. The striker was adored by supporters for his deadly play in front of goal for both club and country. Honours were perhaps a little hard to come by for Shearer. He was a well-known member of the Blackburn Rovers team that won the Premier League championship in 1995.
Shearer participated in just three finals aside from that. Unfortunately, he lost them all. He couldn’t locate the net either. The historic Full Members Cup Final, which was renamed the Zenith Data Systems Cup Final in 1992, was his first final. That game was a 3-2 loss for his Southampton team. It got worse when Newcastle fell to Manchester United and Arsenal in consecutive FA Cup finals.
7Paul Gascoigne
England
The idea of Paul Gascoigne participating in an FA Cup final in 1991 thrilled English football fans. Among the most technically proficient players in British football history was this one. In the semi-final, he had already lighted up Wembley with a spectacular free kick for Spurs against Arsenal.
But he appeared much too tense in the final. He might have been sent out for a reckless tackle, but after just 17 minutes, he seriously injured himself with another foolish lunge.
It was determined that the damage was a torn ligament in the knee. It would be a year before Gascoigne returned. He would come back, but his playing style was never exactly the same as it was that season. In many respects, Gazza’s career was shaped by the Wembley final five years prior, even if he did score two goals in the Scottish League Cup as Rangers won the tournament in 1996.
6Eling Haaland
Norway
One of the best individual seasons in Premier League history was had by Erling Haaland. In 2022–2023, the huge Norwegian scored 36 goals in 35 Premier League games as Manchester City won the triple. His importance to that season was undeniable because he was genuinely deadly in front of goal. However, when it comes to Haaland and the cup finals, there is still a problem. Despite playing in two FA Cup Finals and a Champions League Final, he has failed to score in a cup final for City, despite scoring a brace for Borussia Dortmund in their 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the DFB Pokal final.
5Igor Belanov
Soviet Union
In the Soviet Union’s 4-2 loss against eventual semi-finalists Belgium, Igor Belanov stunned everyone with a spectacular hat-trick. One of those was a world cup goal, a rocket of a shot that no goalie could stop. His form with Dynamo Kyiv was carried over into the World Cup.
He scored a penalty in the semifinal and three goals in the two-leg European Cup Winners’ Cup quarterfinal. But in their 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the championship game, Belanov did not score any goals. In 1986, Belanov was declared the Ballon d’Or winner. He would play for the Soviet Union in the Euro ’88 final two years later. Belanov had a penalty saved, and they lost to Holland 2-0.
4Romario
Brazil
Romario was a club and national footballer with extraordinary talent. Although he did score Brazil’s goal against Uruguay in the 1989 Copa America final, there are still concerns regarding his involvement in what were likely the two most important matches of his career.
The Champions League final in 1994 was the first. In it, AC Milan thrashed Barcelona 4-0. Romario hardly played at all. With his country winning the World Cup for the first time in 24 years, the Brazilian enjoyed a much better summer. The small striker, who scored their game-winning goal against Sweden in the semi-final, played a crucial role in their success. However, he was mostly shut out of the game in the final, which Brazil ultimately won on penalties.
3Thierry Henry
France
It goes without saying that Thierry Henry was an exceptional player. He was among the players who reached 50 Premier League goals the quickest. He was also a vital member of the Arsenal team that finished the 2003–04 Premier League season undefeated. However, it’s crucial to point out Henry’s apparent struggles in the cup finals.
The truth is that he only managed to score one goal during his ten appearances in senior cup finals. That was France’s victory over Cameroon in the Confederations Cup final in 2003. Although there was an assist, Arsenal fell to Barcelona in the 2006 Champions League final. Overall, he had an incredibly poor cup finals record for such a talented player.
2Mohamed Salah
Egypt
Among the best African football players in history is Mohamed Salah. At Liverpool, where he has been prolific for many years, he is equally well regarded. There are still unanswered questions regarding his involvement to the cup finals despite all of the goals and achievements.
Up till the 2024–2025 season ended, Salah had participated in eleven cup finals. In those games, he has scored twice, both of which were penalty kicks. One in the 2019 Champions League final versus Spurs. The other took place in the Community Shield in 2022. Salah’s talent is undeniable, but his cup final performances have been a little lacklustre.
1Harry Kane
England
England’s all-time top goal scorer is Harry Kane. His litany of cup final accomplishments is astounding, despite the fact that he has always been lethal in front of goal. As of this writing, Kane hasn’t even won a cup final, much less scored in one.
He played for Spurs in three finals, but they didn’t score a single goal. Then there were England’s consecutive losses in the Euro 2020 and 2024 finals. In the latter, when England lost to Spain, Kane was criticised despite scoring in the penalty shootout against Italy in the former. Some thought he should have been substituted out much earlier in the game because his performance was so subpar.
