A Barcelona XI of players forgotten by the Ballon d'Or

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi have dominated the Ballon d'Or for the last decade, winning the award between them for the last nine years. 

It's been impossible to get it off them. In addition, if you're not a forward or an attacking midfielder, it's been generally impossible to get your hands on the prize for football's top player.

FORGOTTEN

With this year's Ballon d'Or now out the way and FIFA's The Best to come in January, SPORT have taken a look back at some of the Barcelona players who deserved (or deserve, if they're still playing) to have the individual prize in their hands.

All Europe's biggest clubs could put together asimilar list, but this one will focus on Barça. Using the 3-4-3 deployed by Johan Cruyff, here are some of the players who may have deserved more recognition. 

Victor Valdes

In the first team between 2002 and 2014. Football gave everything to Victor and then was extremely cruel to him. He is still, though, the best goalkeeper in Barcelona's history. He best interpreted the goalkeeper-player role which the style needs. 

On Mar. 26, 2014, he suffered ligament damage against Celta Vigo. Monaco pulled out of his signing, he had a tough time at Manchester United a loan spell in Belgium and now, at last, is enjoying playing football again with Middlesbrough.  

Dani Alves

Dani Alves decided to move to Juventus after eight extraordinary years at Camp Nou. During that time, he was the world's best right-back without question and Lionel Messi's best partner. His pace, quality and attacking attributed were fundamental to Barcelona sides under a number of different managers. Prior to that he'd shone at Sevilla (2002-2008) and he's been a regular in the FIFPro Team of the Year.

Ronaldo Koeman 

Koeman will always be the hero of Wembley for Barcelona fans. His goal in the 111th minute of the game against Sampdoria handed Barça a 1-0 win and their first European Cup. He was key in John Cruyff's Ajax side and then in the Dream Team at Camp Nou, too. Criticised for being slow at first, his six years in Catalonia proved a success in the end and he was also part of a Holland side which featured Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten. 

Gerard Pique 

Returned to the club in 2008 and has become one of Barça's leaders in recent year, for his personality and his football talent. When he's missing, Barcelona are not as good. For other reasons, though, his talent is not often recognised. As a defender, too, the Ballon d'Or has always been a long way from the centre-back. 

Sergio Busquets

One of Pep Guardiola's 2008 discoveries who has been a mainstay for Barça and Spain ever since. Respected by his managers and his rivals, Busquets has often been underrated in other circles. He's certainly never received the individual recognition he deserves, often left off entire shortlists. This year was no exception in that regard. 

Xavi Hernandez 

What can you say about Xavi that's not already been written? During 12 years (2003-2015) he defended the Barcelona shirt and became the symbol of the side's style. His vision, intelligence and passing made him one of the best, but Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi were also around at the same time. He won a ton of collective titles, but never the Ballon d'Or, despite making the podium. 

Bernd Schuster 

Played for Barça, Real Madrid and Atletico. His distribution of the ball and his powerful shot were his stand out skills. His premature retirement from the German national team and Barcelona's irregular form in that era (1980-88) meant that he was never recognised individually as much as he should have been.

Andres Iniesta

Barça's captain, the guardian of their style, the best talent La Masia has given us after Leo Messi... and there's the problem. Andres' time has coincided with the football beast born in Rosario and with the goal scoring machine Cristiano Ronaldo. Iniesta is recognised across the world, mainly for his achievements with Spain, but also with Barça, but he's never won football's top prize, despite being on the podium.

Ladislao Kubala 

We put Kubala here because he could do everything -- and he did it well. The legendary Laszly played the game before all football was captured on camera and he spent 12 years at Barça (1950-62), before the Ballon d'Or was formed. The likes of Alfredo Di Stefano have recognised what a genius he was and there's little you can add. Football in Spain was different after Kubala. Like many Barça heroes, he retired without having won the European Cup, losing the 1961 final against Benfica:

Romario 

Romario played little more than a year at Barcelona around the 1993-94 season. He promised he would scored 30 La Liga goals and he did. A hat-trick against Real Madrid included. And then he left. After the debacle against Milan in the European Cup final in Athens. Johan Cruyff looked to regenerate the Dream Team and Romario was a player to suffer after turning up late for pre-season. A genius inside the box, though, and a lethal goal scorer.

Diego Maradona

Last, but not least. He played at Barcelona between 1982 and 1984 and even though he arrived at a good time in his career, his best years weren't at Camp Nou. He won a few minor titles and had a serious ankle injury via a  Andoni Goikoetxea tackle... Josep Lluis Nunez sold him to Napoli, where his best years folowed, but he wasn't able to win the Ballon d'Or as not player from outside Europe could do so until 1995, when the rules changed and George Weah won it. Maradona, though, would certainly have won it otherwise.