5 great footballers who have been overshadowed by superstars
Playing alongside a superstar is a double-edged sword. On one hand, they make the game look easy and take your team to unimaginable glory. But on the flipside, they almost always steal the limelight, rarely keeping enough for others to bask in.
With an undisputed superstar in the team, it is hard to make a name for oneself, even when one outperforms them on a consistent basis.
Today, we will take a look at five excellent players who are burdened with the sweet curse of playing with a superstar(s).
Here are five active footballers who have been overshadowed by their superstar teammates time and again:
#5 Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes is one of the best attacking midfielders in the world right now. The Portugal international has all it takes to lead a team but has hardly had a chance in the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos cannot imagine leaving Ronaldo on the bench, which doesn’t bode well for Fernandes.
The Manchester United midfielder loves to have a go at goal every now and then, which is impossible when the captain is as goal-hungry as Ronaldo.
At Euro 2020, Fernandes only started two games for Portugal, which is disappointing for a player who had a 28-goal season for Manchester United.
Some stats in Premier League history before and after Bruno Fernandes joined the Premier League in 2020. 🇵🇹 https://t.co/wWtHeg3gCa
Following Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford at the start of the 2021-22 campaign, the 27-year-old has struggled to replicate his last-season heroics.
Without Ronaldo on the pitch, Fernandes has scored five times in the league this season. With him, he has found the back of the net just twice.
#4 Casemiro
13-time Champions League victors Real Madrid are the most decorated club in Europe. Under Zinedine Zidane, they won the premier European competition three times in a row between 2016 and 2018. Los Blancos became the first-ever team to achieve the feat in the tournament's current format.
Cristiano Ronaldo was undoubtedly their standout performer, but their midfield wasn’t any less influential. Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro got the better of every team they faced in those three years, drawing applause from every follower.
Two of the most established names on the circuit, Modric and Kroos, were showered with praise, but Casemiro didn’t get his fair share.
Xavi in 2018:- " There are midfielders like Casemiro who don't understand how to play for Barcelona"
Casemiro:- "He can say whatever he wants but I've been here for 4 years and played 4 UCL finals" https://t.co/NDzEub471r
Had it not been for Casemiro’s defensive masterclass, Real Madrid would not have been able to keep out the best attacks in Europe. They would not have been able to let Kroos and Modric produce their best football, free from defensive responsibilities.
Even today, the Brazilian regularly pops up with decisive defensive action, but rarely gets the recognition he deserves.