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#3 Michael Ballack
As a man who has four Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokals, one Premier League and three FA Cups, it is incredibly hard to resist the genius of Michael Ballack. Adored by those at Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, and not the least by the German national team for whom he has 98 caps. A superb attacking midfielder who exuded leadership ability, he scored over 117 goals in his club career as an attacking threat.
Yet he has had to shake the disappointment of being one of the most unlucky players in football, having been a runner-up in the Champions League (twice) and World Cup. Without a shadow of a doubt, he was the best German outfield player of the 2000s, yet is spoken of as a league away from the likes of Lothar Matthaus, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Jurgen Klinsmann.
#2 Sergio Busquets
Once again, it might be unfair to add a celebrated player who has been given high praise for his ability and vision over the last decade, but how many people would pick him in their all time team of the 21st Century?
Not fast enough, not physical enough and not "brave" enough, yet somehow the idea of Sergio Busquets works, like no "Regista" before him, and quite possibly none after. A gem from the La Masia academy, polished into a diamond by Pep Guardiola, Busquets has been the (literal) architect of the modern-day success for both Barcelona and Spain. He will go down as perhaps the most underappreciated player in history should his playing career come to a close.
#1 Angel Di Maria
Blessed (or cursed) with playing with the two best players of the generation at club level, Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Lionel Messi for Argentina, Angel Di Maria's career has often seen him play supporting acts. As a hybrid between a central midfielder and a winger with acclaimed industry and technical ability, very few players have played for the biggest clubs in the world and gone away.
His exploits at Real Madrid from 2010, saw him part of a famous record-breaking Jose Mourinho team, that eventually culminated in their end for "La Decima" in 2014 under Carlo Ancelotti.
At Manchester United, he was often treated as a fall man for fans and management, expecting to be a solo player. Instead, he found his footing once again at Paris Saint Germain, for whom he remains a key and indispensable player, more so now than ever with the arrival of Leo Messi.
