Top 10 most underrated footballers in the world right now

Some players are just born to be in the limelight. Such is the radiance of the exposure they face that even their breaths are something that doesn’t go unseen by people. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi are always up there among them.

However, there are certain other players who don’t get as much recognition as they should be. They work their socks off, but don’t often get the praise that they deserve. In this article, however, we are looking to change all that.

Here are the top 10 most underrated footballers in the world right now…

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#10 Fernandinho

Manchester City are the most in-form team in the Premier League right now. Their attack is lauded for its brilliant precision while their defence is also honoured for its sturdiness. The likes of David Silva, Nicolas Otamendi, Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero are heavily praised for their abilities.

But someone among them isn't talked of in the same wavelength and that is the Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho.

Ever since joining the Citizens from Shakhtar Donetsk, he has been a rock in front of the defence while also providing the attack with crisp and quick passes. His all-round greatness makes him an essential cog in the City line-up.

And yet, he has been one of the last players people talk about.

#9 Nacho Fernandez

Real Madrid's unsung hero this season

Real Madrid have four centre-backs. Out of them, if Raphael Varane manages to stay fit for a while, then he is perhaps the best defender in the team. We have often seen, however, that it isn’t the case with the Frenchman being a bit prone to injuries.

And this is why Nacho Fernandez is such an important player for Los Blancos to have. After the former RC Lens starlet, the Spaniard has been one of the best players in the defensive ranks. The fact that Sergio Ramos is the captain makes him an automatic choice for the starting XI, but in an ideal world, Nacho should be among the first names on the team list.

With versatility one of the hallmarks of his game, this is a man who can play anywhere in the backline and is almost always fit to play - which is why he is the defender with the most minutes played for Madrid this season.

And when he does, he rarely ever disappoints.

#8 Roberto Firmino

Firmino is one of the Premier League's finest strikers at the moment

He plays in the Premier League for Liverpool and he is Brazilian… how can he evenbe underrated? Baffling. Normally, Brazilians are highly rated, which is whythe two most expensive players in the world are from Brazil.

Roberto Firmino, however, is somewhat an anomaly in this regard. While he did take some time to adjust to life in England, he is now one of the best players in the Premier League. In 33 games this season so far, he has scored 18 goals and made 8 assists for his team-mates.

It is just a small depiction of his abilities as a player, watching him reveals much more. And yet, when the topic of the best strikers in the world comes up, his name is rarely ever mentioned.

#7 Cesar Azpilicueta

Azpilicueta has been vital for the Blues over the past few seasons

A list like this will always be incomplete without the inclusion of Cesar Azpilicueta. Despite the fact that he is one of Chelsea’s and the Premier League’s most intelligent and best defenders, he never really gets the credit he deserves.

Like Nacho Fernandez, this is a man that can play anywhere in defence. Spain are blessed to have two players of similar traits. Both of them, however, will probably never be the first-choice players for Spain.

Chelsea fans absolutely adore him because they know his true value. What makes him underrated is that his name rarely comes up when we speak of the best defenders in the world, but his consistency alone makes him a great asset.

#6 Son Heung-Min

Son has been one of the key players for Spurs this season

Quite easily the most underrated forward in the Premier League, Son Heung-Min is an extraordinarily talented player. His ball control is enchanting and all he lacks is proper finishing, with which he could go head-to-head with the likes of Mohamad Salah and team-mate Harry Kane.

It is not that he is far away from their level right now either. During Spurs matches, he is a constant threat, cutting from the wings and giving the defenders a tough time with his nimble footwork. In 24 starts this season, he has scored 12 goals and has made four assists so far.

With time, he will become even better and, hopefully, more rated than he is currently.

#5 Toby Alderweireld

Spurs have missed the services of the Belgian this season

Another Tottenham Hotspur player making this list is Toby Alderweireld. One could actually make a great case about the Belgian being the best defender in the world. The most painful fact, however, is that he is rarely talked of in a discussion - at least among the fans.

His name doesn’t induce the same thrill as it does for defenders like Sergio Ramos or Gerard Pique. Last season and the season before that as well, Tottenham conceded the least number of goals in the Premier League.

While they might have conceded a lot more this season, it just further emphasises the importance of the former Southampton defender as he has been injured for most part of this season.

#4 Christian Eriksen

The Danish wizard has been pivotal in Spurs' resurgence

As if Alderweireld wasn’t underrated enough, there is another member in the Tottenham team that is perhaps more bafflingly underrated: the Danish genius Christian Eriksen.

The former Ajax star joined Tottenham after the club missed out on signing Willian. In the end, however, it became one of the best moments for the North London outfit as the Dane has been an important figure in the club’s rise to the top.

In football, midfielders are usually recognised for their brilliance, but Eriksen is an exception in that regard. The creative midfielder is elegant in his approach and glides around the pitch majestically to connect the dots for the London outfit.

But even then, he is not talked of in the same breath as the likes of Mesut Ozil and David Silva.

#3 Dries Mertens

Mertens has been Napoli's warrior in front of goal

And now we enter the top 3 of this list. For a position like the striker, being in the limelight is quite easy. After all, scoring goals almost always brings attention towards a player. But there are exceptions here as well—and Dries Mertens is one such player.

The Belgian plies his trade for Napoli and is one of the most lethal strikers in the world. Indeed, the 30-year old has started in 27 games this season and has scored 17 goals and made nine assists in those matches.

For someone who scored 33 goals last season in the Serie A and Champions League combined, he is not ever talked of in a discussion about the best strikers in the world.

And his performances this season has also proved that he is not a one-season wonder.

#2 Thiago Alcantara

Alcantara's performances last season has gone unnoticed

Playing for Bayern Munich has its ups and downs. The positives are that the players are playing for a team that win the league by February or March. The gulf between Bayern and the rest is so much that the other teams have no chance whatsoever.

And that is where the negatives come. When a player does well for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, it is almost often overlooked because of it.

But even then, the fact that Thiago Alcantara has become one of those almost-forgotten players after joining the Bavarians is a testament to the claim made earlier. Last season, the Spaniard was the best midfielder in the world along with Luka Modric.

This season, he has been injured for the most of it, but even when he was at his peak last season, it didn’t create as many waves as it should have.

#1 Jorginho

Jorginho could be the most underrated player in Europe at the moment

And now for the most underrated player in Europe. Remember how the fans in the football fraternity were frenzy about Xavi Hernandez’s ability to make an average of 100 passes in every game?

Xavi was the true pass-master, the time-keeper and the heartbeat of Barcelona. And right now, if there is any player that could be labeled as Xavi-like, it is Jorginho. The Italian international has the record of making the most successful passes in a game when he made 180 accurate passes against Cagliari last season.

His average successful passes-per-game has never dropped under 89 in Serie A for Napoli since 2013-14, which is a testament to his consistency. How he doesn’t play for a bigger club is, in itself, the biggest proof of his under-appreciation.