It’s easy to spot an up-and-coming star who occasionally displays a flash of skill or scores a screamer, but such natural talent is seldom met with an equally admirable work ethic. Sensational strikes and swashbuckling dribbles may be easy on the eye, but it’s the individuals that fight for every ball, dig deep and don’t stop running who, form the clockwork of a good side.
Every footballer has to attain a certain level of fitness and contribute to the team but few come close to matching the effort these boys put in on the pitch…
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Koke - Atletico Madrid
An industrious player that merely masters the basics, Koke is a variation on the archetypical Spanish midfielder. The 24-year-old prefers to pull strings outside of the box, with his average pass length a rather large 16m last campaign. He also won 45% of duels and created more than 75 chances in the 2015/16 season for Atletico.
He fits the ‘box-to-box’ category perfectly, contributing at both ends of the pitch. The Spaniard is versatile and able to play anywhere in the middle from in an anchoring midfielder role to a dynamic number ten. He epitomises Diego Simeone’s philosophy of sacrificing the chance of showing individual brilliance in order to support the defence and suffocate opposition attacks in a deep, narrow set-up.
Toni Kroos - Real Madrid
Not completely dissimilar to the aforementioned Koke, former Munich-maestro Kroos shields the Real Madrid back-line alongside Croatian Luka Modric, undoubtedly the more attacking minded of the two. Last campaign, the German international made two defensive actions per game on average, combined with an average 94% pass completion rate.
In Euro 2016, Kroos covered a total 68,393m throughout the tournament, with only a handful of players topping him, while he finished the championships with the most attempted passes (653) as well as the most successfully complete (608).
Seldom is he caught drifting out of position and it’s his eagerness to close down every opposition player which earns him a solid place on this list.
N’Golo Kanté - Chelsea
The Frenchman has just secured a switch to Stamford Bridge and rightfully so. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez may have got the goals and assists for the Foxes last season, but it was Kanté who minimised the attacking threat of opposing sides.
Back in April, Kanté became the first player in Europe’s top five leagues to win 100 tackles in the season, while he also made on average 6 defensive actions per game - very impressive. Having made a remarkable average of 4.2 interceptions per match last campaign, Kanté was hailed by Sir Alex Ferguson as the midfielder of the season.
Leicester’s success emanated from a quick-fire counter-attacking system, in which winning the ball back quickly and breaking with pace were both vital. Kanté orchestrated both from the middle and worked tirelessly in regaining possession and providing service for the Leicester front-line.
Arturo Vidal - Bayern München
A crucial component in a side that lost just two Bundesliga matches last season, Arturo Vidal adds braun to a skilful Bayern side. The Chilean was impressive in his nation’s Copa America win as well, with two assists in the tournament.
If it’s a player with bucketloads of passion you’re after, then Vidal’s your man. Across four Serie A seasons with Juventus, Vidal received 53 yellow cards - a record for the division. He throws himself into a challenge at every given opportunity, even at the latter end of a match. His work ethic isn’t limited to defence though.
The Chilean has plied his trade on the flank and in behind the striker in years gone by and has the ability to drive at the backline with pace also.
James Milner - Liverpool
Very much an underrated member of the Liverpool contingent, James Milner neutralises the attacking dynamics of his fellow midfielders by remaining composed, disciplined and brave in the Reds’ midfield. The Englishman finished the season with 11 assists, the seventh highest in the division, and an admirable total for an ageing midfielder more renowned for anchoring play down through the middle.
When deployed on the flank, he’ll ensure he doesn’t commit too far forwards with the ball so that he can track back and provide cover for Liverpool’s attacking full-backs. When deployed in the middle, he’ll partake in every aerial battle, fight for every ball and although his play sometimes seems a slight bit scrappy, he does the unseen work and sets up Liverpool to be a lethal counter-attacking side.
