5 of the most underrated players in world football right now

#2 Mario Mandzukic

Mandzukic has consistently scored for the last several seasons

For someone who has played for several big clubs, Mandzukic is not that known around the world. Mandzukic started his career in Germany before making the move to Dinamo Zagreb. There he made his name as a forward, averaging a goal in every two matches. He returned to Germany via VfL Wolfsburg where his exploits earned him a move to Bayern Munich in 2012.

That season turned out to be a hugely successful one for the player and club. Mandzukic scored 22 goals as Bayern went on to complete a historic treble-winning season. The Croat again played a crucial role as the club secured another Bundesliga title as he scored 26 goals across all competition.

Atletico Madrid came calling next, where he scored the fourth goal in a famous 4-0 drubbing of arch-rivals Real. Mandzukic again showed that he was a capable goal scorer, chipping in with 20 goals in 43 appearances.

Mandzukic was on the move again and this time to Serie A with Juventus. Though his time at Turin has been blighted by injuries and being played out of position, he still remains an integral part of the Old Lady setup.

He has won the Serie A and Copa Italia double in all of his seasons in Italy so far. He won the goal of the season for scoring via a memorable overhead kick against Real Madrid in the Champions League finals, even though he ended up losing.

Mandzukic's highlight though has to be for his home nation. He played an integral part in Croatia run to the finals in Russia, as his tireless running and willpower getting rave reviews all around the world. He scored the winning goal in extra time against England to sent the Croats to their first ever World Cup Finals.

The tall-striker is the perfect example of a forward not just having to score goals to be important to a team. He has covered his lack of pace with his strength and unlimited stamina. He can play across the front line and often does it to accommodate other forwards.

His relentless pressing up front has led to defenders making mistakes and giving his team a chance to score. In an age where forwards get transferred for big money, it is puzzling why a player like Mandzukic goes under the radar. Probably he prefers it like that.