From 40 to 80 million
©IMAGO
A defeat with SC Freiburg in the DFB Cup final, a lost Champions League final with BVB and the championship in 2023, which was believed to be certain, but which was lost at the last minute: Nico Schlotterbeck has not yet won a major title in his career and is one of the most valuable footballers with an empty trophy cabinet. However, his faith remains unbroken – with the statement “My goal is to win titles together with Borussia Dortmund,” the 26-year-old central defender completed the long-awaited contract extension by the fans in April. Transfermarkt shows the currently most valuable footballers who have never won a first division championship, a national cup or a European Cup in their professional careers.
With a market value of 55 million euros, Schlotterbeck is the most valuable German player without winning a title. He is followed by Maximilian Beier (BVB), Jonathan Burkardt (SGE), Kevin Schade (Brentford) and Said El Mala (Cologne). The highest-rated Bundesliga professional who has yet to win a trophy is Leipzig’s Yan Diomande. The 19-year-old Ivorian is playing his first full season at professional level and still has plenty of time to collect titles.
The RB attacker is in third place worldwide behind Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) and Bryan Mbeumo (Man United). Matheus Cunha, another professional who has never won a title, comes from the ranks of the Red Devils. The two attackers moved to Manchester in the summer for a total of 149.2 million euros.
The careers of the ten most valuable untitled professionals are still relatively young – there is plenty of time for trophies, although for many not this season. Elliot Anderson (Nottingham) and Rogers are the only ones who can still finish this season with a trophy. They will compete against each other in the second leg of the Europa League semi-final, and in the final the winner will face either SC Braga or SC Freiburg.
Jordan Pickford has also had bitter finals. Unlike the Dortmund captain, not at club level, but with the English national team. The 32-year-old has been guarding the goal for Everton and England since 2017.
Pickford continues to impress with his performance. Its market value is 15 million euros. He never made it to a final with Everton, but twice with the Three Lions: in 2021 he dramatically lost the European Championship final against Italy on penalties, and in 2024 the European Championship final went to Spain in extra time. At the 2026 World Cup, teammate Harry Kane, who has now won his first titles with Bayern, is expected to triumph.
