19. Conor Gallagher – Atlético Madrid (England)
Chelsea fans begged him to stay. Atlético paid £33m and got an absolute bargain. Runs 13km every game, wins the ball high, scores clutch goals. Already a fan favourite in Madrid.
18. Teun Koopmeiners – Juventus (Netherlands)
The signing of the summer no one talks about. Box-to-box monster, 8 goals + 5 assists already. Juventus finally have a proper midfield again.
17. Dominik Szoboszlai – Liverpool (Hungary)
Liverpool’s engine room. 60-yard passes, long-range rockets, and endless running. Still only 25 and already one of Europe’s best #8s.
16. William Saliba – Arsenal (France)
The best centre-back in the Premier League — yet never in the Ballon d’Or conversation. Arsenal concede half as many when he plays.
15. Pedro Porro – Tottenham (Spain)
The most attacking full-back in Europe. 7 goals + 9 assists last season, on the same numbers this year. Ange’s system wouldn’t work without him.
14. Granit Xhaka – Bayer Leverkusen (Switzerland)
The architect of Leverkusen’s invincible season. 12 assists last year, already 8 this season. Transformed from Arsenal villain to Bundesliga legend.
13. Federico Valverde – Real Madrid (Uruguay)
The ultimate all-rounder. Can play anywhere in midfield, scores screamers, tackles like a beast. Madrid’s most important player after the big three.
12. Bruno Guimarães – Newcastle United (Brazil)
The heartbeat of Newcastle’s rise. 80-90% pass accuracy, wins the ball high, carries the team forward. Brazil’s next great midfielder.
11. Alexis Mac Allister – Liverpool (Argentina)
World Cup winner, now Liverpool’s creative hub. 10 assists already this season. Does everything quietly but perfectly.
10. Rodri – Manchester City (Spain)
Still underrated somehow. The best defensive midfielder on earth. City lost only 1 game in 18 months when he played. Ballon d’Or contender every year — yet never wins it.
9. Bernardo Silva – Manchester City (Portugal)
The ultimate Pep player. Can play 6 positions, never loses the ball, creates magic in tight spaces. City’s glue.
8. Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich (Germany)
Still only 30 and already a Bayern legend. World-class right-back AND defensive midfielder. 10 assists last season from deep.
7. Declan Rice – Arsenal (England)
£105m looked expensive. Now looks like a steal. England’s best midfielder, Arsenal’s captain in waiting.
6. Phil Foden – Manchester City (England)
Already 100+ goals/assists for City at 25. Still treated like a “prospect” instead of a world-class attacker.
5. Son Heung-min – Tottenham (South Korea)
Premier League Golden Boot winner, 100+ goals, still no Ballon d’Or votes. One of the most complete forwards on earth.
4. Lautaro Martínez – Inter Milan (Argentina)
Serie A’s best striker for 3 years running. 25+ goals every season, clutch in big games, yet never in the Mbappé/Haaland conversation.
3. Antonio Rüdiger – Real Madrid (Germany)
The scariest defender alive. Wins every duel, scores in finals, intimidates strikers. Madrid’s defensive rock.
2. Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool (Netherlands)
Still the best centre-back in the world at 34. Liverpool concede half as many goals when he plays. The original “monster”.
1. Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City (Belgium)
The most complete midfielder of his generation. 100+ assists in the Premier League alone. When fit, no one comes close. Yet because he’s “just” a passer, he’s never won Ballon d’Or. Criminal.
Conclusion
Football’s biggest stars get the headlines, but these 19 players are the ones who actually make teams win. They don’t need the spotlight — they just need the ball.
Who’s the most underrated player in football right now? Who did I miss? Drop your take in the comments – I reply to every one!
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