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With every passing day, football, the game we all love and live, is getting more and more ruthless and impatient. Talent alone is not enough to cut it anymore as players are expected to be injury-free, tantrum-less machines, always prepared to go the extra mile.
Players who are not the luckiest in terms of injuries are often brushed aside and forced to make way for younger, fitter performers. The midfielders on our list today are exceptions in that regard, still holding on despite missing a lot of football over the years.
How long they will survive is anybody’s guess, but these midfielders are nothing short of sensational when they are fit and firing.
Here are five world-class midfielders who tend to miss a lot of action due to unfortunate injuries:
#5 Marco Reus - Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund skipper Marco Reus is the ultimate sweetheart of German football. He is world-class in every sense and can single-handedly determine the outcome of a match when fully fit. Unfortunately, injuries have never allowed him to unlock his true potential and make a run for the Ballon d’Or.
Between 2016-17 and 2019-20, Reus only took part in 74 Bundesliga matches, missing almost all of the remaining games due to injuries or fitness issues.
In those 74 matches, he scored 42 goals and provided 23 assists, emerging as one of Dortmund’s best players.
Over the last couple of seasons, Reus has fared a little better in terms of injuries. Last season, he only missed one match due to a bruised ankle. He has sat out one fixture this season after suffering a knee injury.
#4 Paul Pogba - Manchester United
Manchester United number 6 Paul Pogba is a controversial figure. For France, the 2018 World Cup winner always seems to be at the top of his game. For Manchester United, however, he has often looked sluggish and indisciplined, rarely doing justice to his abilities.
On top of his controversial attitude, Pogba happens to be a tad more injury-prone than most of his peers. The Frenchman has missed 10 matches in the Premier League this season alone with a hamstring problem. He missed two more fixtures due to the red card he picked up in the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool back in October.
Pogba, who is expected to return to action in a couple of weeks' time, is believed to be discussing a new contract with Manchester United at this point. If a deal is agreed upon, fans will be hoping to see a more committed and less injury-prone version of their superstar in 2022.
#3 Thiago Alcantara - Liverpool
Liverpool central midfielder Thiago Alcantara is not even half as controversial as Paul Pogba in terms of antics. However, the Spaniard does share the Frenchman’s misfortune when it comes to injuries.
Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich star Thiago could school the best of midfielders on his day. Sadly, he has not been able to establish himself as one of the best in the world due to the lack of regular football.
Thiago has only featured in 11 league matches for the Reds this season. First, he missed five games due to a calf injury and then sat out of the Reds’ last four matches due to COVID-19.
With Thiago in the team, Liverpool have only dropped five points this season, while losing 11 points without him on the pitch.
The Spain international’s return is paramount for Liverpool’s title challenge, but the club do not yet have a return date for their star midfielder.
#2 Marco Verratti - Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti is arguably the best midfielder in Ligue 1. His distribution is extraordinary, his work rate is impressive, and he has a knack for providing defense-piercing passes every now and then.
PSG tend to look like a completely transformed side with him in the team. They keep hold of the ball better, press more intelligently, and can afford to be more adventurous going forward.
Sadly, the Parisians have rarely been able to witness Verratti’s greatness at a stretch.
Last season, Verratti missed 15 Ligue 1 games due to various injuries. In his absence, PSG dropped 11 points and saw Lille snatch the Ligue 1 title.
Verratti has already missed eight matches in the French top-flight alone this season due to injuries and fitness concerns. Thankfully, PSG's stacked midfield is now a little better equipped to deal with the Italy international's absence.
#1 N’Golo Kante - Chelsea
Chelsea number 7 N’Golo Kante is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. From taking Leicester City to a historic Premier League title to helping the Blues to their second-ever Champions League crown, Kante has done it all.
He is already regarded as one of the best of this generation, and he could achieve more if he can keep injury issues at bay. Between a groin injury, knee issues, and COVID-19, the 2018 World Cup winner has missed nine matches in all competitions.
Kante has performed out of his skin every time he has walked out onto the pitch this term. If Chelsea are to win something big, they must find a way to keep their best player fit for the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign.
