India, June 10 -- 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.

Some legends never won it because their countries were not strong enough teams at the time. Some came very close but lost in important matches like semifinals or finals. Some missed the chance because of injuries, team selection issues, or bad luck.

A report by Britannica shares a list of such players. Here are five football legends who neve...