05 June 2023 , 11:33
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The concept of being 'underrated' is a strange one, but it seems as though whatever it is, the world has decided it applies to Ilkay Gundogan.
The Manchester City star's brace in Saturday's FA Cup final at Wembley was just the latest example of his quality coming to the fore, a quality that is often under-appreciated when we consider the stars at City, throughout the Premier League and beyond.
So which other players come to mind when you consider the term 'underrated?'
It's a tough, subjective question, and one that it is hard to find a definitive answer for, but we asked our Mirror Football team what they think.
John Cross
My current most underrated player in the Premier League is Brentford’s Christian Norgaard. I just really like him. He plays so well and so consistently each time I watch him.
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He’s solid, reliable and at the heart of Brentford’s remarkable success story of establishing themselves in the Premier League. Hardly gets a mention.
The most underrated player of recent times who is still playing… well, that’s Olivier Giroud. How patronising were we towards him when he was at Arsenal? He got more love at Chelsea.
Giroud is still going strong at AC Milan (AFP via Getty Images)Now he’s still going strong at AC Milan. He’s won the World Cup and trophies galore, including the Serie A title for Milan. Brilliant player.
Most underrated player of all time? Well, that’s simple. Gareth Bale. Not given the respect or credit he deserved when he was at Real Madrid.
Britain’s most successful export of ALL TIME. Just count the trophies. Five Champions League trophies. Yet still not given enough credit - here or in Spain. They love him in Wales and I love the fact they love him so much.
And after he scored one of the best goals ever seen in a Champions League final - his overhead kick against Liverpool in the 2018 final - the Spanish media just tried to find another way to batter him.
David Maddock
It's a slightly strange concept, the idea of 'underrated', because it's all relative to perceived talent. And everyone has a different perception.
Yet I'd say Roberto Firmino was underrated throughout his career at Liverpool, for the influence and impact he had on a team which won every single honour during his time at the club.
He wasn't a conventional number 9 at Liverpool, hell, he wasn't a conventional forward in any sense, always being outscored by the players either side of him on the wings, and often found in midfield. And whisper this quietly now, after the almost God-like tributes by Reds supporters when he left at the end of this season, but he was underrated massively by them.
Roberto Firmino was crucial to Liverpool's improvement under Jurgen Klopp (PA)It's easy to forget now, but over the past two seasons - at least - he was widely criticised, and there were often calls for him to be replaced - inevitably from the excitable parts of social media - but there were serious debates from the more sensible fans too.
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Yet without him, Liverpool wouldn't have been able to play their high octane pressing game, which blew even Manchester City away. And without him, they wouldn't have looked anything like they did. He was also often ignored by Brazil, despite his ability to mesh their band of stars together, and should have won far more caps.
Again, so soon after all the plaudits, and outpouring of emotion from the Kop on his departure, it seems strange to suggest he was underrrated, but history will surely tell us his role in Klopp's great Liverpool team was undervalued...from the outside at least.
Who do you think is the most underrated player of all-time? Have your say in the comments
James Nursey
Aston Villa's January signing of left-back Alex Moreno proved crucial to the club's resurgence under new boss Unai Emery.
The Spanish full-back, 29, only cost £13.3million from Real Betis in a low profile switch.
But he immediately displaced Lucas Digne who had cost twice as much a year ago.
Moreno quickly became integral to Villa's attacking structure as Emery encouraged his side to prioritise attacking down the left flank where Jacob Ramsey also excelled.
Moreno gave Villa a vital attacking outlet and got three assists in 19 appearances as Villa stormed up the table to qualify for the Europa Conference League.
Moreno has had a fine start to life at Villa (PA)He proved a superb signing and Villa fans must wish Emery has more astute Spanish targets in mind this summer.
Villa will also be hoping Moreno is fit for the start of the season or late August at least after hamstring surgery.
Not only was Moreno class on the pitch but off it too as he did a number of interviews and spoke early on about his ambitions to qualify for Europe.
Kieran King
I am going to go for a slightly rogue shout here but Leicester's Marc Albrighton.
He, alongside Danny Simpson, are two Leicester players that are hardly spoken about from the 2015-16 Premier League title success. But the ex-Aston Villa wide-man was arguably as important as any of the other names in the XI.
Although he didn't score or assist as many as Riyad Mahrez did on the other wing, he contributed more defensively and ensured the Foxes had a balance in their armoury rather than two attack-minded wingers. Albrighton also scored one and provided two assists on the opening day against Sunderland to get Leicester's season off to a flyer and was a key cog in Claudio Ranieri's wheel that campaign.
Marc Albrighton enjoyed title success with Leicester (Getty Images)However, it wasn't just that infamous year where Albrighton impressed. He was virtually an ever-present in the Leicester squad for seven successive seasons before he moved to West Brom on loan in January this year.
Albrighton scored the winner in that Champions League quarter-final victory over Sevilla and will go down as a Foxes legend. But he is still not talked about enough, compared to others that have been part of the Leicester success story.
Daniel Orme
When you recall the pantheon of the world’s greatest midfielders, it is natural to think of the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Andres Iniesta and Andrea Pirlo. One man who certainly should rank among those is former Argentine international Esteban Cambiasso.
For a long time, the metronomic midfielder was also the most decorated Argentine footballer in history - a fact that might be lost on some. He was key cog of the Inter Milan treble-winning side under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho but the now 42-year-old does not necessarily get the individual credit that he deserved.
Cambiasso shone during his time at Inter Milan (AFP/Getty Images)The closest Cambiasso got to personal recognition was a nomination for the FIFPro World XI back in 2010. Ironically, the most recognition arrived after the midfielder had drawn the curtains on his playing career.
Following a brilliant season helping Leicester stay in the Premier League, he was voted as the club’s player of the campaign and was also inducted into Inter Milan’s Hall of Fame in 2020.
Whilst more of a defensive midfielder, Cambiasso’s eye for goal and passing ability made him arguably one of the most complete - yet underrated - midfielders of the early 21st century.
Samuel Meade
Sergio Busquets for me. The midfield linchpin will leave Barcelona this summer after more than a decade dictating the play and the plaudits have rightfully started to come in.
The veteran has been integral to the best club side and the best international side of the modern era. Often surrounded by superstars like Xavi and Andres Iniesta, the platform he allowed them to play for often went unnoticed, but was crucial.
Busquets earned Pep Guardiola's trust at a young age and continued to repay it long after the coach had left the Nou Camp. Spain boss Vicente Del Bosque once said: “You watch the game, you don’t see Busquets. You watch Busquets, you see the whole game.”
Xavi, who knew what Busquets could offer more than most, echoed that sentiment: “Without Busquets, Barcelona and Spain could never had achieved what we have achieved.”
Classy midfield anchors are rarely the most fashionable of players, nor do they grab the headlines, but every great side cannot operate without one.
Who do you think is the most underrated player of all-time? Have your say in the comments
James Whaling
I'm going to throw it back to a striker of yesteryear who is often the subject of cringeworthy 'banter' from perpetually unfunny social media accounts, the followers of which probably never saw him play.
Emile Heskey was a tremendous footballer. Intelligent, selfless and with over 100 Premier League goals to his name - you'd think his career would get the recognition it deserves.
Yet he has somehow been misremembered as some kind of footballing donkey who just so happened to fluke his way to 62 England caps.
He invariably got the best out of every strike partner he played with, Michael Owen being particularly gushing in his praise of Heskey both with Liverpool and internationally.
Oh, and he got the fifth in Munich in 2001. For which he should forever be held on a pedestal.
Emile Heskey was unfairly derided throughout his career (Press Association)Mark Jones
I'll go for a couple of players, one of whom is still Gundogan's teammate at City.
Riyad Mahrez has won one African Footballer of the Year award, but you suspect he'd have picked up more had Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane not struck up such a formidable understanding at Liverpool, where any success is seen on slightly more of a global scale than it is at City, with riches, endorsement deals and kudos following.
Mahrez's individual contribution to Leicester's title win is often overlooked as well, with that being celebrated as more of a team triumph, while he scored a somewhat remarkable 24 goals in 47 games in all competitions as City won the league last season.
Milner and Mahrez are both often under-appreciated (Getty)Meanwhile, we surely can't run this debate and not mention James Milner, who was often praised for his work-rate and stamina at Liverpool but not for his outright quality on the ball.
Milner is a fantastic footballer, one that developed his game in all positions during his time at Anfield, and someone Liverpool could be made to regret allowing to leave this summer.