Far too often, players are judged merely by the trophies they won, but these 5 go a fair way to proving great talent doesn’t always equate to great success.
The best players generally play for the best, most successful clubs, but that isn’t always the case. Think back as far as Tom Finney, for example – he’s regarded as one of England’s finest footballers of all time, yet a Second Division title was the only trophy he lifted during his career.
Here are some more recent examples of fantastic players who for one reason or another never won the silverware their talent warranted.

Steve Bull
A staple of these type of countdowns, Bull’s place was secured by his 13 England caps, including four appearances at Italia ‘90, that behemoth of English sporting culture. The last player to be capped outside of England’s top two tiers, that is a record that Bull can surely take into old age.
He scored 306 times in 561 matches for Wolves but only won titles in the fourth and third tier, adding the Football League Trophy in 1988. They may be more talented trophyless players in other European countries, but none received more nominations in my unscientific survey.

Rob Lee
While those outside the North East inevitably focus on Newcastle United’s strikers of years past when they talk of heroes, many Geordies have a special place in their heart reserved for Lee.
The notion of players at the biggest clubs being favoured by England is overplayed, but it is hard to wonder how Lee received only 21 caps. Had he been at a London Premier League club, Newcastle fans believe that number would have at least doubled.
Lee was a fabulous player to watch, skillful but with the passion and effort to impress every type of supporter.
He twice finished as runner-up in the Premier League and was twice a losing finalist in the FA Cup, all in the three year period between 1996 and 1999.
The only honours he won were a second-tier title with Newcastle in 1993 and Le Tournoi in 1997. That doesn’t count, no matter what Roberto Carlos tries to tell you.

Stan Collymore
England’s nearly man. There are many supporters of Nottingham Forest and Liverpool who will talk long into the night about Collymore’s natural talent, but his three England caps and lack of any major career honours is testament to the problems that bubbled under the service.
Watching him at the City Ground was a dream, a striker who would collect the ball, turn and then run past defenders as if he were a different being from the opposition. The pace was extraordinary, but so too was the ball control and shooting accuracy.
A move to Liverpool and Spice Boys culture was the worst possible career move for Collymore’s personality, and it effectively cost him his career.
From then, promising 24-year-old became journeyman. A fantastically talented forward would retire at the age of 30.

Luigi Di Biagio
Runner-up in Serie A in 2002-03. Runner-up in the Coppa Italia in 1999-00. Runner-up in the Suppercoppa in 2000. Runner-up in the European Championship with Italy in 2000. Appearance maker in semi-finals of the Champions League and UEFA Cup.
Di Biagio was capped 31 times by Italy, played over three hundred matches for Inter and Roma at times when both were successful, yet somehow he managed never to win a trophy. It’s actually an impressive feat.

Matthew Le Tissier
The player around whom this list was designed, yet Le Tissier still doesn’t make the top two.
Le Tissier is not just a cult hero at Southampton but across the country for the loyalty he displayed through his career. The closest he came to winning a trophy of any kind was in the Zenith Data Systems Cup against Nottingham Forest, when Southampton lost the final 3-2 at Wembley.
Some players may have post-retirement regrets about remaining at the same club, but Le Tissier? No.
“I played the game the way I wanted to play it, and had I gone on to a bigger club, I probably wouldn’t have been able to do that,” he says.
“I knew I probably wouldn’t win any honours, but when you’re at a club that size, staying in the Premier League for 16 years gave me as much pleasure as winning a medal if I’d gone somewhere else.”

If you follow the link below, you will find a another 5 players who have made the list.

www.planetfootball.com/nostalgia/di-natale-signori-le-tissier-great-players-won-no-major-trophy/