Olivier Giroud, Angel Di Maria, Sergio Busquets Headline the Top Five Most Underrated Footballers

• Certain names are permanently imprinted in our memories and in the sands of time
• There are, however, many unsung heroes in football, and we can all agree that they will never get the credit they deserve
• Sports Brief takes a look at five of the best footballers who have excelled in their positions but are often overlooked

While players like Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo will always make headlines, other footballers may not have received the recognition they may have merited during their playing days.

Despite their efforts on the pitch, they never garnered the required media coverage or even a deserving FIFA overall rating, not even mention the coveted Ballon d'Or prize.

Here are five of the most underappreciated players that have played the beautiful game.

5. Keylor Navas - Nottingham Forrest (loan)

Navas began his professional career on a modest note with Costa Rican club Deportivo Saprissa before switching to the Spanish lower tiers, per Planetfootball.

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After a splendid 2014 World Cup campaign, the shot-stopper secured his big break joining Real Madrid after the Spanish giants triggered his buyout clause at Levante.

He only needed one season to dislodge Iker Casillas as Madrid’s No.1, going on to win 11 trophies during his five-year stint with the club, yet was not given the needed recognition he deserved.

4. Olivier Giroud - AC Milan

Is Olivier Giroud the most unappreciated player in recent memory? It almost feels strange to type this.

Although having a stellar record for both club and country, his talent is frequently eclipsed by others, especially on the international stage.

The 36-year-old definitely took his time to develop. He never played for France's youth teams, and at age 25, in 2011, he received his first senior cap, Sportbible reports.

3. Thomas Muller - Bayern Munich

Without a shred of doubt, Thomas Muller is one of the most underappreciated footballers of the past decade.

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Despite his many achievements, including his Champions League and World Cup victories, many people do not appear to give him the credit he merits.

He may not have the same spectacular playing style or impressive individual stats as some other players, but his contributions to his team's success are apparent, which may be one explanation for this.

2. Sergio Busquets - FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona have always been blessed with an array of superstar names ranging from Ronaldinho to Lionel Messi.

However, there are always unsung heroes that assist in putting the puzzle together for all the major stars.

Sergio Busquets is, by a distance, Barcelona's greatest unsung hero in the last decade. Despite scooping trophies exceeding 30 for both club and country, the defensive midfielder is underappreciated.

1. Angel Di Maria - Juventus

Angel Di Maria is criminally underappreciated.

Despite boasting a distinguished career playing for some of the finest teams in the world, such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester United, his heroics almost always get overlooked.

He recently inspired Argentina to its third World Cup triumph, winning a penalty and scoring a goal in the final against France. Strangely, his name was missing when it came to the attention given to his peers.