5) Theo Walcott
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Back in 2006, the inclusion of the then 17-year-old winger came as a major surprise. Although he wasn't given any game time, much was expected from the Englishman ever since.
Considered to be Arsene Wenger’s best British signing, Walcott is playing in his eleventh season for the North London team and is still struggling to nail a permanent place in the starting eleven.
Blistering pace is a great attribute for a footballer to possess, but Walcott needs to connect a few more dots if he is to become a great player. With key players Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshire out injured, it is time for Theo to showcase his talent.
4) Riccardo Montolivo
The Azzurri have produced a slew of extraordinary midfielders in the past and continue to churn out a few more, but the AC Milan captain does not fit into this illustrious group. He does his job of passing the ball around in midfield and taking the occasional shot but comes up short in a few departments which De Rossi, Veratti, and Marchisio excel in.
The midfielder neither has the strength to fend off the opposition nor has the vision to pull the strings for his team. Montolivo’s 56 national caps are more an indication of a top class Italian playmaker than a rather dull and mediocre midfielder.
3) Adriano
Another Brazilian who makes it into our list, the former Inter Milan forward was a talented footballer. He possessed a ferocious left foot and had the ability to score from miles away.
Adriano had all the talent in the world to make him a legend of the game but never produced the goods on a consistent basis to justify his talent. His career faded away in the late 2000’s due to his addiction to girls, gambling, and guns. Had he worked harder, he would have become a regular contender for the coveted Ballon d’Or.
2) Hulk
Assuming that Hulk is one of the better players in the world considering his demanding transfer fees is a joke. Other than having a cool name and scoring the odd spectacular goal, the Brazilian falls flat in every department. Hulk is a decent attacker, but scoring 14 times in 46 appearances for Brazil indicates that he is nowhere near Philippe Coutinho or Willian’s level.
Having played with only Porto and Zenit Saint Petersburg in Europe suggests that Hulk was never considered to be a great footballer by any of the top clubs in the continent. He may have the power to burst footballs on a regular basis but lacks in skill and intellect, which are the bare necessities for a footballer to have.
1) Mario Balotelli
Was there any doubt on who would occupy top spot? Super Mario is a phenomenal talent. If Italy is to win a trophy in the future, the Italian forward will have a big role to play. Thousands have spoken about Balotelli’s antics off the pitch, and his excellence on it.
At the age of 26, Mario does not have anything spectacular to show on his resume other than the brace against Germany in the Euro 2012 semi-finals. Five years back, in an interview, Mario considered himself to be the second best player on the planet after Barcelona’s Leo Messi.
In 2016, Balotelli is not even the best striker for his club and has been rejected by relegation-threatened club Sassuolo. The Italian must start scoring more regularly, and on the biggest stages, if at all he wants to win the Ballon d’Or. (which he thinks he richly deserves)
