When people think of soccer they think of the likes of Messi and Ronaldo who have changed the game for the following generations. The once-in-a-lifetime players play the beautiful game the way it was meant to be played. Or they think of countless other Legends that have left their marks somehow somehow. I want to bring light to some of the lesser-known or appreciated players who have changed the game.
When making this list one name comes to mind right away, Antione Griezmann. Overshadowed by counterparts in France he never seems to get the recognition he deserves. His wildly unsuccessful stint at Barcelona hinders his status as an all-time great. In 2018 he was one of France’s key players alongside Kante, Pogba, and Mbappe. Recently he became Atletico Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer. In his career, he has played 672 games and scored a total of his 261 goals and 115 assists. He has also featured in 80 games in a row for France.
Real Madrid has seen many great players and forgettable flops. For the last decade, they have been blessed with the midfield partnership of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. Yet in that midfield, they had a star who quietly performed every single game and is still doing so at the age of 31. Isco controlled the midfield whenever he played. Removed from football for 6 months he joined Real Betis and was man of the match in his first game back. His success this season granted him a contract extension through the 2027 season. Another Madrid player who flew under the radar was Gareth Bale. While he is not underrated by any means he never got the love he deserved while at Madrid. Constantly in the shadow of both Benzema and Ronaldo. His performance in the 2018 Champions League final will never be forgotten.
One of the most under-appreciated players of all time is Marco van Basten. Often written off for the shortness of his career due to injuries. If fans were able to see past that and see what he accomplished in his short career he would easily be in the GOAT debate. In 373 games across 11 seasons, he scored 277 goals. He also won 3 Ballon D’ors, one European championship with the Netherlands, was 9x top goalscorer, and won the FIFA Men’s Best Player of the Year award
Here are some other unsung heroes of football. Ricardo Quaresma who’s run in the 2018 World Cup will forever be iconic. Hatem Ben Arfa was the talk of Newcastle well before the Saudi takeover. As many described he was a different gravy on the ball. Dimitri Payet continues to go under the radar. One of the greatest free-kick takers of all time and scores a screamer at least twice a season. He proved it at both West Ham and Marseille. Switzerland’s Shaqiri also went rampage at the 2018 World Cup and generated a big move from it. Going back on a nostalgia hunt made me think of the likes of Claudio Marchisio, midfield general at Juventus. Wilfried Bony Swansea FC legend bagged 16 goals in his first premier league campaign. Demba Ba and Cisse the duo that couldn’t be stopped at Newcastle.
Because there are so many unsung heroes and I don’t want to forget anybody here are some honorable mentions. Andrei Arshavin, scoring 4 goals at Anfield is not an easy task. Troy Deeney, scored one of the greatest goals in English football. Adebayo Akinfenwa is your favorite players favorite player. Charlie Adams, everyone remembers that goal. Coutinho like Greizman is written out for his spell at Barcelona. He got his spark back briefly at Bayern Munich but was never the same after Liverpool. James Rodriguez never truly lived up to his potential but that 2014 run was special. Players like Goetze and Marco Reuss aren’t necessarily underrated but they deserve more appreciation for what they do.
