Many famous athletes have never won a gold medal but they are still very successful because they earn lots of money playing sports professionally. Here are some examples: Lionel Messi has won many individual awards but he has never won the golden boot because he has never scored more than 11 goals in one match. He also hasn't won any silverware except for his record number of UEFA Champions League titles. Cristiano Ronaldo has been called the greatest soccer player in history but he too has never won a single gold medal.