Some of the best football players in history have had successful careers without winning a single league championship.
Despite never winning the league, Fernando Torres won the World Cup, the European Championship, and the Champions League during his career.
The greatest player in history to never win a league championship is Steven Gerrard.
Few football players today ever exhibit extreme levels of loyalty; instead, the game is frequently about personal glory. But over the years, a few players have either remained faithful or have never played for a team that is talented enough to win a league championship.
England captain Harry Kane’s decision to join Bayern Munich in an attempt to win his first league championship after his side was defeated by Bayer Leverkusen for the 2023–2024 Bundesliga Championship served as the impetus for this piece. His career drought came to an end in April 2025 when he won the German league. Marco Reus was also initially on the list, but he won an MLS league title in America with the New York Red Bulls in 2024 after years of close calls with Borussia Dortmund.
However, these 15 players were never able to secure that coveted league title. Rather, they are regarded as the top players who occasionally just missed out.
Factors that rank
Their significance to the team they played for
Their aptitude and skill
The club’s size played for
The Top 15 Players Who Have Never Won a League Championship
Rank
Name
Teams Participated in
1.
The Garrincha
Atlético Junior, Flamengo, Red Star Paris, Olaria, Serrano, Botafogo, Corinthians Paulista, Portuguesa
2.
Gerrard, Steven
LA Galaxy and Liverpool
3.
Moore, Bobby
Fulham and West Ham United
4.
Socrates
Santos, Flamengo, Fiorentina, Corinthians, and Botafogo
5.
Banks, Gordon
Stoke, Leicester, and Chesterfield
6.
Matthews, Stanley
Toronto City, Stoke, and Blackpool
7.
Griezmann, Antoine
Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Real Sociedad
8.
Lineker, Gary
Tottenham, Barcelona, Everton, and Leicester
9.
Floyd Hasselbaink, Jimmy
Atletico Madrid, Cardiff, Charlton, Boavista, AZ Alkmaar, Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Leeds, and
10.
Torres Fernando
Sagan Tosu, AC Milan, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Atletico Madrid
11.
Jay-Jay Okocha
Paris-Saint-Germain, Fenerbahce, Borussia Neunkirchen, Hull, Bolton, and Eintracht Frankfurt
12.
Robbie Fowler
Cardiff, Blackburn, Manchester City, Leeds, Perth Glory, Northern Fury, Liverpool, and Muangthong
13.
Carragher, Jamie
Liverpool
14.
De Rossi, Daniele
Roma
15.
Heung-min Son
Tottenham Hotspur, Bayer Leverkusen, and Hamburger SV
16Son Heung-min
Hamburger SV, Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur
Son Heung-min is still in north London and hasn’t won a major award in his career, whereas Kane departed Tottenham Hotspur to end his title-hunting misery. Despite finishing second in the 2016–17 Premier League season (the Spurs’ highest league finish since the 1962–63 season) and finishing second in the Champions League and League Cup, the South Korean has failed to win a trophy.
Son is still a fantastic football player, as evidenced by his 127 Premier League goals, which rank 16th in the history of the league. He is already in his 30s, and it seems like the only way he could win a league title would be to leave Tottenham.
The Greatest Seasons
Time of year
Rivalry
Club
Total Points
Place
2015–16
The Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur
77
Third
2016–17
The Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur
86
Second
2017–18
The Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur
70
Third
15Daniele De Rossi
Roma
Daniele De Rossi, who started the list, was one of the most reliable players of all time. Every season, the Italian, who served as a bridge between attack and defense, reinforced Roma’s midfield. De Rossi is not a player that frequently wins a title, despite his importance.
Three times he came near, but Roma never managed to get it over the finish line. They concluded the 2016–17 season with 87 points, which is an incredible accomplishment, but they were still four points behind Juventus, the Italian champions. It summed up De Rossi’s misfortunes in Italy because, in spite of his talent, he was never able to win the Serie A trophy, which is the nation’s most coveted award.
The Greatest Seasons
Time of year
Rivalry
Club
Total Points
Place
2013–2014
Serie A
Roma
85
Second
2014–2015
70
Second
2016–2017
87
Second
14Jamie Carragher
Liverpool
Jamie Carragher, who is now best known for his on-screen persona, spent all 17 of his senior seasons with Liverpool, a Premier League team. Despite being a member of the legendary Reds team that won the Champions League in 2005, he was unable to win Premier League gold during that time.
His team’s best performances occurred in 2001–02 and 2008–09, when the Merseysiders finished the season with 80 and 96 points, respectively, finishing in second place. Even though he likes to argue with his old rival Gary Neville on TV, he is unable to match the latter’s prize collection, especially when it comes to league titles.
The Greatest Seasons
Time of year
Rivalry
Club
Total Points
Place
2001–2002
The Premier League
Liverpool
80
Second
2005–2006
82
Third
2008–2009
86
Second
13
12Robbie Fowler
Liverpool, Man City, Leeds, Perth Glory, Cardiff, Blackburn, Muangthong
Since 1990, four of the five English teams Robbie Fowler played for—Lewis, Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, and Manchester City—have won a league championship. But at that time, the Englishman had gone on. The striker, who scored 163 Premier League goals, had his best season and won numerous titles on Merseyside.
Despite winning four major awards, including a cup treble in 2001, he was never able to win a league championship; his best result was third. Being a champion was made more challenging by the fact that he was unable to regain his previous Anfield form after leaving, which earned him the nickname “God.”
The Greatest Seasons
Time of year
Rivalry
Club
Total Points
Place
1995–1996
The Premier League
Liverpool
71
Third
January 2000
69
Third
2006–07
68
Third
11 Jay-Jay Okocha Bolton, Borussia Neunkirchen, Hull, PSG, Fenerbahce, Eintracht Frankfurt
The Greatest Seasons
Time of year
Rivalry
Club
Total Points
Place
1995–1996
The Premier League
Liverpool
71
Third
January 2000
69
Third
2006–07
68
Third
11 Jay-Jay Okocha Bolton, Borussia Neunkirchen, Hull, PSG, Fenerbahce, Eintracht Frankfurt
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