Ranking the five most underrated central midfielders of the 21st century
Midfielders, by virtue of their position on the pitch, are literally central to their team's buildup play. At times, the midfielders are asked to help in the attack and moments later, they'll be tasked to track back and shield their defenders.
Almost every ball on the pitch passes through midfielders, who dictate the run of play, making things easier for their attackers. There is probably no position in any team sport that encompasses such a wide variety of roles as a midfielder in football.
#OnThisDay in 2004, Deco inspired José Mourinho's Porto to a 3-0 win against Monaco in the #UCLfinal. https://t.co/FiMugf9e5P
One can be a defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, holding midfielder, box-to-box and much more. Nonetheless, with them not getting on the scoresheet regularly, it is easy to overlook their contributions.
Midfielders are a key cog in the wheel for any team
There was a time in football when teams were built around prolific goalscorers. It was eventually discovered that such a tactic doesn't work out in the long term. The trick to dominate opponents is to have a solid midfield.
Barcelona and Real Madrid, two of the most successful clubs in the 21st century, won the Champions League on multiple occasions on the back of solid midfield partnerships.
Midfielders do make it to the Ballon d'Or shortlist but rarely win it. Even if they do, it is usually the attacking or creative midfielders. Here, we will strictly be dealing with traditional central midfielders.
On that note, let's take a look at the five most underrated central midfielders of the 21st century.
#5 Deco
Deco rose to prominence just as the 21st century rolled in. He began his career at Corinthians but moved to Portugal soon after. It was when he moved to Porto that he earned his first silverware in 1999.
He was a key player as Jose Mourinho built Porto into genuine European contenders. In Porto's 2004 Champions League winning run, he scored in the 3-0 win over Monaco in the final. He also finished the campaign with six assists.
The midfielder moved to Barcelona in 2004 and won the continental trophy yet again in 2006. While not physically gifted, he was a hard-working player and possessed great close control, vision and distribution skills.
His struggles with injuries and inconsistencies have played their part in him not being seen as a world-class midfielder.
#4 Michael Essien
It will be an understatement to say that African players are often overlooked in serious discussions in football. Michael Essien is one of the many highly talented players from the continent who made a name for themselves in Europe in the 21st century.
The player spent eight seasons at Chelsea, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield, League Cup and the Champions League with them. At a time when his contemporaries were praised for their finesse and ball control, he was one of the most complete midfielders.
Where does Michael Essien rank among the all-time great #PL midfielders? 🤔
He joined @ChelseaFC #OnThisDay in 2005 https://t.co/Iucut6XwvI
He possessed good pace, tackling ability, decent distribution skills, tactical awareness and incredible work rate. After his great spell with the Blues, he simply could not find form again and failed to win a single trophy after his departure in 2014.