Players you feel are underappreciated

World Football
#1

So I was watching this:

And I couldn’t help but admire Clarence Seedorf’s performance. And I feel he doesn’t really get talked about as much when we discus the great midfielders.

For me, he is right up there (if not, just a smidgen below) with the likes of Zidane, Iniesta, Xavi and Pirlo and far above the likes of Gerrard, Scholes and Lampard who get (deserved) plaudits today.

Feel like kids today don’t know enough about who he was.

4 CL titles when that was a pretty big deal and there were more than like 4 competitive teams in the competition, and did it with 3 different clubs, proving his consistency and longevity.

And of course Kaka got the most recognition and the Ballon d’Or for that 2007 CL win, which was deserved as he was amazing, but Seedorf was right up there in terms of performances throughout the competition.

Dominated Man United, and dispatched Bayern the round before, with some beautiful goals. I remember he used to love handing Bayern beatings.

Consistently a player that delivered in the biggest moments with magic. Great technique, a sublime passer through the lines, and his end product was undoubted.

But yeah, I feel like he is an underappreciated player.

What about you guys, do you agree with me?

Any other players, past or present that you don’t think get the credit and recognition their performances deserve?

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#2

Cool thread and a good post too :+1:

I might create a thread as an off-shoot, “players who were once underrated but everyone said it so often that they ceased to be underrated and actually became rated. But people kept on calling them underrated and I found it annoying”

Michael bloody Carrick would be the first entry.

The thread title could possibly do with some work though.

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#3

Paul Scholes is another imo haha

Thanks though buddy

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#4

But to be a bit more in the spirit of this thread, I’d say Jaap Stam. Now don’t get me wrong, I think most football fans worthy of any respect would say he was a a very good player, but I feel he’s underappreciated in the sense that his name doesn’t come up often enough when people talk about the greatest defenders of a certain era. I think it should.

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#5
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#6

When Chelsea first got Mourinho and they were one of the strongest teams in Europe, their best, and most consistent performer, was Makalele.
He was the player that seemed to control the midfield and defence and was one of the most important players responsible for their success, he was like their Vieira.

For us, I always thought Lauren was a bit under appreciated, but when your playing in a team with some of the best attacking players in Europe, I suppose that’s going to happen.

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#7

Can’t believe there has been six posts and no one has mentioned the main man. Mr Olivier Giroud.

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#8

You’ve got to stop writing love letters to him.

#9

Target men are generally underrated in modern football, too many supporters have been brainwashed into thinking Pace = Good and that’s largely down to Wenger and Henry

#10

Think a more appropriate version may be Mario Gomez @Persona

Although I will still hate him for giving Chelsea that CL

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#11

Mandzukic?

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#12

Shay Given.

He was a better keeper than Hart when he displaced him at City and a much better keeper than he ever got credit for. Stayed at Newcastle far too long though. I wanted us to sign him when Seaman left but I can’t complain that we ultimately got Lehmann instead.

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#13

Was just about to say him. Class player. Elite bracket IMO.

Edin Dzeko also. World class striker. Can score every type of goal.

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#14

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#15

Denis Irwin at united. When Fergie bought him I thought he would flop big time. Turned into a great player and top competitor. Brilliant attitude and deserved every medal he got.

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#16

Santi Cazorla

Not a player that should be forgotten but unfortunately will be

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#17

Yeah, he is very underrated, but massive for every team. Look at how Croatia is now without him.

#18

He and Little Mozart deserved much better careers. :santi: At least Santiago won the Euros (twice) though.

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#19

I feel eduardo was definitely underrated, i reckon he could have been our david villa and who knows in time without that fucking injury maybe even better. The guy was so clinical before his injury he really rarely ever missed, you could almost count on it being a goal if he was in front of the goal with the ball even with a half chance, i cant believe that fucker ruined his career at that point he was my favourite play and a fan favourite too.

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#20

Here’s one that fits my category.

At one point underrated but by now so highly spoken of that you’d think he was the reincarnation of Inzaghi.

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