7 Players Who Won the World Cup Without Kicking a Ball

• Brazilian Ronaldo is among the top players who have previously won the World Cup without making an appearance
• The legendary forward laid his hands on the prestigious trophy during the 1994 edition of the tournament
• R9 went on to play an influential role for Brazil during the subsequent editions of the global showpiece

Winning the World Cup is one of the biggest ambitions of any elite footballer.

The global football showpiece is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious tournaments, transcending any competition at the club level.

To put this into more perspective, despite Brazilian icon Pele not playing at the biggest of stages at the club level, it was at the World Cup that he managed to leave an indelible mark in the world of football.

According to Marca, the legendary forward appeared in four World Cup competitions, winning three editions of those to ink his name in history books.

Ranking the best Spurs players of all time and more fun facts

Football

Interestingly, while there are a number of top players who have made a mark in football by winning numerous titles and individual awards, there are quite a number who have failed to lay their hands on the World Cup.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are among the top players who have achieved so much in the game but failed to conquer the global stage.

Whereas winning the World Cup has been elusive for such players, there are quite a number who have won the tournament without kicking a ball.

Sports Brief takes a look at seven players who won the World Cup without making an appearance per Squawka:

7. Franco Baresi (1982)

Franco Baresi is one of the few defenders to have ever won the Ballon d'Or award.

The legendary defender was part of the Italy squad that won the 1982 World Cup.

Finally it is here! Ranking of the 20 best English footballers of all time

Football

However, he won the tournament without making a single appearance.

6. Daniel Passarella (1986)

The Argentina legend did not feature in the 1986 edition of the World Cup staged in Mexico.

A bout of enterocolitis left him sidelined from the tournament, with his replacement, Jose Luis Brown, coincidentally scoring the opener in the final.

5. Ronaldo (1994)

The Brazilian legendary forward may have enjoyed significant success with the Samba Boys at the World Cup.

However, the 1994 edition in Spain was a little different for Ronaldo as he did not play a single match.

4. Dida (2002)

Nelson de Jesus Silva, best known as Dida, was in reserve for Brazil in the 2002 edition.

He played in three FIFA World Cup finals and won twice.

However, he could not get an opportunity to show his skills when Japan and South Korea hosted the tourney in 2002.

3. Pepe Reina (2010)

FC Porto legends: Top 10 all-time greats for the Dragons

Football

Like Dida, Pepe Reina was in Spain's reserve team during their World Cup triumph in 2010.

However, with Iker Casillas, the undisputed first-choice keeper through the tournament, Reina was unable to get a starting spot in the first XI.

2. Erik Durm (2014)

The former German defender was part of the team that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after the team beat Argentina in the final.

However, Durm was not used as a sub in the entire campaign.

1. Adil Rami (2018)

And finally, on this list is Adil Rami.

As recent as the 2018 edition, Rami got his hands on the World Cup trophy without playing a single match for France.

The French centre-back was unable to make the cut for Didier Deschamps's team, even as they went on to stun Croatia 4-2 in the final.

Rooney's words to Ronaldo during 2006 WC

Earlier, Sports Brief reported former England striker Peter Crouch has shared what Wayne Rooney discussed about Cristiano Ronaldo following their infamous encounter at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Rooney and Ronaldo, who were teammates at Manchester United, found themselves on opposing sides during a highly charged match between England and Portugal, where a place in the semifinals was at stake.