As Harry Kane breaks trophy curse at Bayern Munich, here are 5 football greats who never won a major trophy!

When 17-year-old Harry Kane made his senior debut in January 2011 for English third-division side Leyton Orient (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Robert Lewandowski was firing Borussia Dortmund to their eighth German title. It was a second consecutive title for Dortmund -- a significant milestone as it was the first time in 16 seasons that a team other than Bayern Munich had defended the Bundesliga. The Bavarian giants took action, winning 11 consecutive titles (apart from two continental trebles in 2012-13 and 2019-20)!

That was the club a 30-year-old Kane joined for €100 million in 2023. Already one of the best strikers in the world, a major trophy was still missing from Kane’s resume. And joining Bayern practically guaranteed him silverware. But, it was not to be. Despite a brilliant individual season—he scored 36 goals in 32 Bundesliga games and 44 in 45 overall—the England captain still finished without a trophy as the club finished as runners-up in the league to Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen. 

The 2024-25 season, too, has been slightly disappointing by Bayern’s standards. But they have secured a record 34th German title -- meaning the superstar striker is no longer a trophyless great of the game. Even haters cannot argue that Kane does not deserve this for all the work he has put in over the years. 

While Kane has at long last won a major trophy, there are some great players in history who have never done so. Here is a look at a few of them:

Socrates

In the last match of the second round of group stages at the 1982 World Cup, the best team in the tournament, Brazil, faced Italy. The South Americans needed only a draw to get to the semifinals. With the score at 2-2, Brazil kept pushing for a winner which ultimately led to the Italian counterattack from which the decider came -- eliminating the Selecao. That team, led by the enigmatic Socrates, is known as the greatest team to not win the World Cup. 

Unfortunately for Socrates, one of the greatest midfielders of all time, the 1982 World Cup was one of his best opportunities to win a major trophy. He was also part of the Brazil team that finished as runners-up at the 1983 Copa America. He only won state titles and other minor trophies at club level, even as he mesmerised onlookers with his elegance and vision.

Johnny Haynes

An inside forward, Haynes was known for his loyalty to Fulham where he remained for 18 long years. He is the club’s greatest-ever player, but his loyalty meant that the closest he got to a major trophy was two FA Cup semifinals. When the £20 wage limit rule was abolished in 1961, he became the first player to be paid £100 a week. The same year, he also finished third in Ballon d’Or voting, behind Juventus’s Omar Sivori and Inter Milan’s Luis Suarez. He was also described by Pele as the best passer he had ever seen.

He suffered an accident in 1962 and missed almost an entire season. On his return, he was not quite the same player. Before the accident, he had played for England in 56 matches and captained the team 22 times. Being only 27, he was expected to lead the Three Lions in the next World Cup. But he was never selected for the national team again and watched on as his compatriots lifted the 1966 World Cup at home. 

 Sir Tom Finney

Widely acknowledged as one of England’s greatest players ever, Finney was fiercely loyal to Preston North End. The winger was signed to Preston in 1940, but league and cup football were suspended because of World War II. So, Finney honed his craft in wartime regional competitions held to boost morale (league football resumed in 1946). 

He stayed with Preston until 1960, when, aged 38, he was forced to retire because of injuries. The next season, Preston got relegated and has not played in the top flight since. Finney played predominantly on the right for his club but moved to the left for England as ‘The Wizard of the Dribble’ Sir Stanley Matthews occupied the right wing. He played over 400 matches for the club, scoring over 200 goals. He came closest to winning a trophy when the team were runners-up in the 1953-54 FA Cup. 

Neil Franklin 

Nowadays, it is difficult to find a photo of Cornelius ‘Neil’ Franklin on the internet. Therefore, it may seem strange to say that he was once England’s greatest defender. Well, this is what Matthews said: “Neil won everything in the air, tackled with superb timing and when the ball was at his feet possessed the nous to pass with the guile and intelligence of the most cerebral of inside forwards (a role similar to second strikers). His physique belied tremendous mobility and breathtaking speed....” 

Back in the 1940s, Franklin was a new breed of centre-back. Indeed, he was so ahead of his time that a centre-back with his attributes would not be out of place in the game now. He came close to winning the league with Stoke City in 1946-47. But, it was an ill-fated decision in 1950 that really damaged Franklin’s career and reputation. Lured to play in Colombia for around four times his wage in England, Franklin opted out of England’s World Cup squad. He never played for England again and after returning on failing to adjust in Colombia, he could not really reach his previous levels. 

Giuseppe Signori

The diminutive Italian striker won the Serie A Golden Boot thrice and is among the top 10 scorers in the league’s history. He could also play on the wing or as a second striker and was renowned for his dead-ball ability. 

He won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1998 with Bologna. But, the tournament was just a qualifier for the UEFA Cup and cannot therefore be considered a major trophy. The only major tournament the injury-prone Signori played for Italy was the 1994 World Cup. He made six appearances and assisted two goals, including Roberto Baggio’s quarterfinal winner. But, he was not used in the final against Brazil. A shame as three Italy players missed their penalties during the shootout (3-2) and Signori’s impressive penalty record suggests that he could have made a difference.

Honourable mentions

There are a few notable players who may not quite fit the ‘great’ billing, but are either quite close to that bracket or are just remarkable talents worthy of a mention. Perhaps the most obvious among them is Harry Kane’s former teammate Son Heung-min. Once one of the best wingers in the world, Son is a Puskas Award winner (2020) and a Premier League Golden Boot winner (2021-22). With Tottenham, alongside Kane, he lost the 2020-21 EFL Cup final and the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League final. However, Son has the chance to win the Europa League this season. So, his trophy drought could be ending in the same season as Kane’s. 

Versatile German midfielder Bernd Schneider finished second in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen in 1999-00 and 2001-02. He was also runner-up in the German Cup in 2001-02 and then again in 2008-09—his final season. He also lost in the final of the 2001-02 Champions League with Leverkusen. Later in the same year, he lost the World Cup final against Brazil. 

English attacker Len Shackleton, called the ‘Clown Prince of Football’ and Udinese legend Antonio Di Natale are other notable players to never win a major trophy. “Streets-will-not-forget” star Dimitri Payet, too, has never won a trophy. But, he is still playing, aged 38, with Vasco da Gama in Brazil.