{
  "id": 16189548,
  "title": "From Salah to Drogba: Football stars who never reached Ballon d’Or top three",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/from-salah-to-drogba-football-stars-who-never-reached-ballon-dor-top",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-23T13:41:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/from-salah-to-drogba-football-stars-who-never-reached-ballon-dor-top-three/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Several football legends, despite their exceptional careers and numerous major trophies, failed to make it into the Ballon d'Or top three. Among them are Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Luis Suarez, Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, and Roma's Francesco Totti. Suarez, who scored 31 Premier League goals in the 2013-14 season, did not receive any recognition from the award in 2014. Drogba, who helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2012, was eighth in the 2012 Ballon d'Or voting. Totti, an iconic Roma player praised by Michel Platini, finished fifth in 2000-01. Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United legend, also missed the podium despite winning multiple Premier League titles and the Champions League with the club.",
  "summary": "Discover top football stars like Mohamed Salah, Didier Drogba, and Luis Suarez who never finished in the Ballon d’Or top three despite their stellar career Read More: https://punchng.com/from-salah-to-drogba-football-stars-who-never-reached-ballon-dor-top-three/",
  "key_points": [
    "Mohamed Salah and Luis Suarez, despite prolific goal-scoring, never reached Ballon d’Or top three",
    "Didier Drogba, Chelsea’s 2012 Champions League winner, finished eighth in 2012 voting",
    "Francesco Totti, Roma’s iconic player, was fifth in 2000-01 despite Michel Platini’s praise"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Individual greatness and major trophy hauls do not guarantee individual recognition, as even the most iconic players often find themselves excluded from the highest tier of global football honors.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}