5 world class midfielders who don't get the attention they deserve (2021)
Mateo Kovacic and Jordan Henderson
Since football is ultimately about scoring goals, it's the strikers that grab the limelight on a consistent basis. Goalscoring is the glamourous part of the beautiful game but it's important to remember that football is a team sport. For a system to function properly, efficiency is perhaps even more important than flair.
More often than not, football games are won in midfield. It's the battles that happen at the center of the pitch that dictate the flow of a game. A team that has efficient and hard-working midfielders will always find it easy to control the game and its tempo.
Even among midfielders, fans tend to flock around those ones with a knack for pulling off the sensational. However, there are also midfielders who fly under the radar because they go about their business with ease.
It is true that some midfielders don't get the credit they deserve because they are so good at keeping things ticking in midfield that it almost looks like clockwork.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five world class midfielders who don't get the attention they deserve.
#5 Fabian Ruiz (Spain/Napoli)
Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz has established himself as one of the best midfielders in Serie A. The left-footed central midfielder is as tactically intelligent as he is technically proficient. This enables him to play in a number of roles in midfield and can fit into any system as well.
This enables Napoli to be tactically flexible and it facilitates better in-game management as well. Ruiz stands out for his vision and passing range. His dribbling skills are also top notch and it is difficult to shake the 25-year-old off the ball.
In addition to all that, Ruiz can score some absolute screamers from range. He is currently one of the best in the business when it comes to testing the goalkeeper from range. Ruiz has scored five goals and provided three assists in 18 appearances across all competitions for the Partenopei this term.
He is inarguably one of the most underrated midfielders in the game right now.
Fabian Ruiz has scored the most goals from outside the box in Europe’s Top 5 leagues this season 💥👏
4 from outside the 18 🤯 https://t.co/K2LlNDpEZQ
#4 Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia/Inter Milan)
Marcelo Brozovic made 33 appearances in the 2020-21 Serie A season as Inter Milan went on to win the Scudetto after a gap of 11 years. The Croatian international has been a stalwart in midfield for the Nerazzurri ever since joining the club in 2015.
Brozovic has been likened to Frank Lampard. Like the Englishman, Brozovic is a versatile player who can play in a number of roles in the center of the park but excels as a box-to-box midfielder.
Brozovic is excellent with his tackling and is a hard worker. It often seems as though he never stops running. He also packs an excellent passing rage in his arsenal and can play the role of a deep-lying playmaker with aplomb.
Newcastle are reportedly keen on offering Inter Milan star Marcelo Brozovic a HUGE deal, to try and pry him away from a move to Man United https://t.co/wNOvQngaqy