5 of the most underrated players in world football

George
Chelsea FC v AS Roma - UEFA Champions League
Will he be able to prove his real worth this time around?

Some people have an ideology that football is all about Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and such. They don't even notice the players who put in back-breaking performances to make this beautiful game a treat. It doesn't mean that those high profiled players and their contributions need to be ignored, but rather that football is not all about goals.

As a general rule of thumb, the players who take all the plaudits in successful title-winning teams are the ones who score the most goals or provide fans with excitement with a series of eye-catching displays.

However, there are players who crawl under the radar with their less obvious qualities and their important contributions without which their clubs would not have tasted success as much.

Here's a look at 5 such underrated players whose contributions remain hidden behind the more flashy performers:


#5 Esteban Cambiasso

Arsenal FC v Olympiacos FC - UEFA Champions League
His spell at Inter coincided with that of players like Zanetti, Materazzi etc

Cambiasso's entry into the star-studded Inter side was a bit questionable in the beginning but his performances were in no way inferior to the big-names in that squad.

Names like those of Javier Zanetti, Marco Materazzi, Snijder, Lucio, Quaresma hung over him like an eclipse and his bright talents failed to get exposure due to the thick hue produced by these dazzling names.

Cambiasso was part of the treble-winning squad under Mourinho in 2009/10 season at Inter Milan.

He was a complete defensive midfielder, with huge potential packed tight in his boots. He had the ability to make decisive passes and dictate the game and at the same time stifle the opposition's surges. He also played a vital role in five Serie A titles for Inter.

His efforts during his year at Leicester in 2014/15 didn't go unnoticed however, and he picked up the club's Player of the Year award before moving on to Olympiacos. Perhaps he was the one who instilled a winning mentality in the Foxes' dressing room, spurring them on in their incredible league winning campaign the following year.

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#4 Edin Dzeko

Manchester City v Aston Villa - Premier League
His premier league spell did draw the desired attention.

Considering how most of his appearances came from the bench, Edin Dzeko was rather prolific during his four-and-a-half seasons at Manchester City.

Joining City for £37 million, the second highest fee paid by the club at that point, the Bosnian scored some extremely significant goals in his first full season in England, helping City to their first Premier League title that year.

Dzeko had netted 19 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions, including the equalizer against QPR in the final game of the season that made Aguero's last-gasp winner possible. Despite all these, he didn't receive as much appreciation and attention as his fellow strike-partner Sergio Aguero.

His contribution during City's other title winning campaign two years later was also hugely important, with his goals winning vital points that helped his team get over the finish line.

He is not remembered in the same regard as team-mates such as Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and David Silva, but there's a chance City would still have been waiting for their first title if it wasn't for their 6 ft 4" hit-man.

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#3 Rafael Marquez

Barcelona v Chelsea - UEFA Champions League Semi Final
He is relatively not renowned in a Barca shirt

The Mexico born rock-hard defender was a key to Barcelona's huge success back when he played for them. Whenever Puyol was out, he was the one managed everything smoothly with a cool-head at the heart of the defense.

Marquez's tenacity at the back helped Barcelona re-secure European dominance. He played an ever-important role in the heart of Barcelona's defense, leading them to four La Liga and two Champions League titles. But somehow, his name has been largely absent from the history books.

He may not have been recognized by the Barcelona faithful like he has been recently by the US authorities - for his alleged links with the Mexican cartels, but he was a rock at the back for the Catalan club during his seven year stint with the Catalans.

He was released from his contract by the FC Barcelona management before the end of the whole term and he went on to join MLS' New York Red Bulls.

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#2 Gilberto Silva

Gilberto Silva of Arsenal takes control of the ball
Gilberto Silva had an unfortunate fairytale career

Gilberto Silva wasn't skillful enough for a typical Brazilian player and wasn't much of a goal hunter but his contributions were priceless during Arsenal's unbeaten season. He was not a goal-scoring midfielder but a defensive one, calm-headed and a natural leader.

Gilberto Silva was a fantastic servant for Arsenal during his six years with the club, and really should have been made captain over William Gallas when the role was vacated by the outgoing Thierry Henry in 2007.

He formed an integral part at the heart of 'The Invincibles' and the Gunners' incredible feat may have still remained a dream if not for his contributions.

He provided mobility to the side and gave license to the rest of the team to surge forward en masse. Unfortunately, the man just doesn't get the credit he deserves for his role in that side.

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#1 Park Ji-Sung

Manchester United v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Premier League
Park Ji-Sung was the very definition of an unsung hero

Despite having a huge success at Manchester United over the course of his seven-year spell, he never received the acclaim he warranted. He played an important role in much of the club's success in those years and ironically, his praises remain relatively unsung.

The South Korean midfielder had a fantastic defensive work-rate that has been matched by few, and Sir Alex Ferguson showed great faith in him, often starting him in some important games - including the 2009 Champions League final loss against Barcelona.

Strangely he would often be left out of the starting lineup in the less important games but was always ready when called upon, and didn't let his bit-part role affect his fantastic attitude, leading to him scoring some significant goals.

Park was rarely considered more than a fringe player during his seven-year stay at Old Trafford, but Ferguson regularly called upon him in important, season-defining matches.

Surprisingly, he was dropped by Sir Alex in the 2008 Champions league final. Though the team won, his absence was significant. He later revealed that he regrets dropping him during that finale against Chelsea.

His work-rate as a player was above the charts and his fantastic energy on the pitch earned him the nickname of 'three-lung Park'.

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