Top 4 underrated players of the World Cup
The World Cup final will be contested by France and Croatia on Sunday in Moscow while the 3rd place game will feature losing semi-finalists Belgium and England. The French beat the Belgians via a solitary Samuel Umtiti goal in the second half while Croatia came from a goal down to break English hearts and win 2-1 with goals from Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic.
The tournament has been a gripping contest between 32 teams who have all dazzled under the lights at the grandest stage of them all. Down to two, both teams are unbeaten in the tournament as they contest for the most prestigious trophy in world football.
The Russia 2018 World Cup has produced a number of great stars and shown a glimpse of what's to come from future talents in the beautiful game. Records have been shattered, tears have been shed, and a number of fans from around the world have flocked to the tournament to watch the greatest spectacle in the world and they have not been disappointed by the festivities.
Across teams, there have been a number of players who have stolen the headlines for their displays and maybe rightly so but there have been many who put in superb shifts for the team. Unsung heroes are underrated players who are vital to teams' successes and a bunch of players have stepped into the role. One who does great deeds but receives little or no recognition for them.
Here we take a look at the four most underrated players of the tournament.
#4 Benjamin Pavard
Another right full-back, 22-year-old French defender, Benjamin Pavard's inclusion in the French squad for the World Cup drew a lot of criticism from fans across the globe. Didier Deschamps faced a lot of heat for his inclusion but the player has come up with the goods.
With sound positioning and good attacking play including a special goal against Argentina, Pavard has exceeded expectation. With Uruguay up next for France, the player has become a valuable addition to the team and important to the manager.
Pavard was invaluable in their two games against Uruguay and Belgium defensively, closing shop against some of the best-attacking footballers in the world. The young defender's composure on the ball and off the ball is a sign of confidence in his abilities to be unfazed by the occasion and carry on playing the game. He will be crucial in the final against Croatia taking on the dangerous Perisic and Rebic but is capable of handling the task.
The Stuttgart defender has been a revelation for France at full-back and is one of the most underrated players of the tournament and could earn himself a big money move post the final.