Some people in this world are meant to be Dark Knights. The light, or limelight, isn’t for them. They might be great at what they do, perhaps even the best, however, what they do might not be something that grabs much attention.
In football, we often see players doing their jobs with diligence, but are almost always unseen thanks to their team-mates that are flashier by nature. However, that doesn’t change the fact that they are great players that make football a better sport.
This happens a lot with defensive players as doing the dirty job goes unseen to the eyes that crave watching mazy dribbles and accurate finishes. For this editorial, however, we will be focusing on the creative players that are overlooked because of their big-name team-mates.
And here are 5 of them…
#1 Karim Benzema
In terms of play-making while playing in the final third, there is perhaps no-one better than the Frenchman. The former Lyon striker is in a league of his own as he works as a pivot for two fellow attackers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.
The Frenchman has scored 28 goals in 33 games this season—his best ratio ever—and has bailed out the club from a lot of sticky situations, especially in the first half of the season.
Yet, when it comes to earning the plaudits, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale grab them all. The reason is simple, both the Portuguese and the Welshman are flashier than Benzema—who is more on the elegant side—and were bought for astronomical figures that no other club has yet touched.
#2 Santi Cazorla
There was a time when he was the lone star of the Arsenal team. At that time, neither Mesut Ozil nor Alexis Sanchez were signed by Arsene Wenger, giving Cazorla all the limelight.
Now, however, the Chilean and the German are the ones that wow fans. Another reason for that is after Mesut Ozil’s arrival at the club, the Spaniard has been pushed a lot deeper and plays in a role that hardly falls in the eyes of the fans.
Indeed, he has played almost every game as a deep-lying playmaker this season, someone who was closer to his own goal than the opposition. This has reduced his number as he could only register 3 assists in the league and end the campaign with no goals under his name.
A combination of all this has made him the unsung hero, although a lot of Gooners know how important he is to the team. He was Arsenal’s tempo-keeper, but the ones in the attacking-third are remembered far more.
#3 Lucas Moura
In a club where Zlatan Ibrahimovic plays, everything else holds little value as he is the undisputed king in the dressing room and the pitch. Ibrahimovic has made it very clear throughout his career that he thrives on being the best and in the limelight.
In such a scenario, it is only normal that his team-mates don’t get the credit they deserve. Also the fact that Ligue 1 is least watched among the top 5 leagues in Europe makes it all the more difficult for non-Ibrahimovic players to be noticed.
One such poor soul is Lucas Moura. The Brazilian finished another brilliant season, but was overshadowed by Zlatan and his decision to leave the club. Right now, all the PSG-related news is how the Swede is a legend with the club and whatnot, but a look at Moura’s numbers—13 goals and 5 assists from 28 starts—will make one realize that he deserved more mentions than he got.
#4 Erik Lamela
Ever since leaving AS Roma, Erik Lamela has been a completely different player. In Italy, he was among the most hyped players in the league, but he now finds himself in a list like this. Indeed, times are a-changing.
After 2 difficult years in London, the Argentine seems to have finally found his feet at the White Hart Lane. While he still has his critics, what can’t be denied is the fact that he was crucial for Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League run.
He might not be the flashy scorer or assister that he once was—yet, he carved up 11 goals and 9 assists from 35 starts—but his defensive contribution to Pochettino’s system was one of the biggest reasons why Spurs ended as the third best side in England this season.
However, the rise of Harry Kane and Delle Ali, coupled with Christian Eriksen’s already waxing influence, has made him one of those names that are whispered in the dark.
#5 Henrikh Mkhitaryan
When one thinks about Dortmund the names that always pop up first are of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus. They are the outright stars of the club, despite the latter spending more time on the treatment table than on the field.
But here is a look a Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s stats: he has a whopping 20 assists and 18 goals in the 47 games that he played in the 2015-2016 season. These numbers are insane in their own way, yet we rarely hear the plaudits that this Armenian so deserves.
Right now, almost all the outlets are covering the story of Hummels to Bayern, giving the Armenian little or no time on the front pages. When they don’t do that, they are busy linking Aubameyang to the other European superpowers, leaving the 27-year-old lurking in the shadows.
