Ballon D'Or: 13 players you had forgotten were nominated
2000: Gaizka Mendieta
The Basque player was the driving force of a Valencia team that reached the final of the Champions League for the first time in the club's history, going on to lose to Real Madrid. He also scored two goals for Spain in the European Championships that year
Foto:FELIPE SEVILLANO
2000: Zlatko Zahovic
The Slovenian scored three of the four goals that his national team scored at Euro 2000, earning him a move to Valencia.
Foto:JUAN NAVARRO
2001: Emmanuel Olisadebe
The Nigeria-born Poland international had a spectacular year with Panathinaikos, winning everything possible in Greece while also firing Poland to the 2002 World Cup.
Foto:GLEB GARANICHREUTERS
2002: Yildray Basturk
The No.10 was born in Hesse, Germany, but represented Turkey at the 2002 World Cup. He was a stand-out player as Turkey reached the semi-finals. Basturk also formed part of the Bayer Leverkusen team that lost to Real Madrid in the final of the Champions L
Foto:FRANCOIS LENOIRREUTERS
2002: Hasan Sas
Another member of the 2002 Turkey team. Sas was a central midfielder who shone for Galatasaray.
Foto:GRIGORY DUKORREUTERS
2004: Theodoros Zagorakis
The captain of the Greece team that sprung an almighty surprise by beating Portugal to the Euro 2004 title.
Foto:KAI PFAFFENBACHREUTERS
2004: Angelos Charisteas
Zagarokis was the captain, but Charisteas was the goalscorer. The striker scored three goals against strong rivals: Spain in the group stages, France in the quarter finals, and Portugal in the final.
Foto:VINCENZO PINTOAFP
2007: Younis Mahmoud
Iraq's best player in an unlikely run to Asian Cup glory.
Foto:STRINGERREUTERS
2008: Marcos Senna
The Spanish-Brazilian midfielder was the engine of Luis Aragonés selección in 2008. He also had a fine season for his club, Villarreal.
Foto:FELIX ORDONEZREUTERS
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor
The rangy striker from Togo arrived at Arsenal with the unenviable task of replacing Thierry Henry. He came short of achieving that, but did have a fine season for The Gunners, which won him the prize of African player of the year.
Foto:EDDIE KEOGHREUTERS
2010: Asamoah Gyan
The striker who wore the No.3 on his back and rapped under the alias 'Babyjet'. The Ghanaian striker announced himself on the global stage with his goals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Foto:ALESSANDRO BIANCHIREUTERS
2016: Rui Patricio
The Portugal 'keeper was a key component of the side that won Euro 2016 in France. His performance against the hosts in the final was a particular highlight.
Foto:Yves HermanREUTERS
2011: Eric Abidal
On March 15 of that year, it was announced that the full-back had a cancerous tumour on his liver that required an operation to remove. Two months later he was back on the pitch, and even played a few minutes of the Champions League final, in which Barcel
Foto:GUSTAU NACARINOREUTERS