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Over the course of its history, the art of football has often been defined by the consistency of its artists. The nature of the sport has seen almost every player experience their peaks and troughs, no matter what the duration of their career was.
Some players have been hampered by injuries or massive transfer fees that are brought up after every performance. Others have simply suffered prolonged droughts with no light at the end of the tunnel. Some individuals have also struggled with psychological and mental health issues that have stunted their growth. In all these cases, a massive barrier stops the players involved from reaching the very pinnacles of success after bright starts to their careers.
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On that note, here we look at five very recent cases of players whose careers have endured a steep decline.
#5 Mesut Ozil | Fenerbahce
Only a handful of players in the 21st century have come anywhere near the technical ability possessed by Mesut Ozil. Rightfully nicknamed the 'Assist King,' the German had the world at his feet when he plied his trade at Real Madrid and Arsenal.
Ozil's numbers back up the creative beauty and technical intelligence he brought on to the pitch. He registered 157 assists in 413 matches combined for Los Blancos and the Gunners, in addition to scoring 71 goals. But the 32-year-old fell out of favor at Arsenal, first with Unai Emery and then with Mikel Arteta, which sealed his exit. But even before this, Ozil's image as a creative enforcer fell apart in front of the Emirates faithful.
A player who was once admired for his lazy elegance was soon predictably blamed for his lack of work ethic on the pitch as Arsenal repeatedly collapsed season after season. Ozil finally exited north London and headed to Fenerbahce, where he made just 11 appearances last season, registering one assist.
#4 Arthur Melo | Juventus
Arthur Melo is one of many recent Barcelona signings that could have potentially made this list. An immensely talented footballer, the Brazilian merely got caught in the heat of numerous muddled up transfers by the Catalan club.
Arthur was heralded as the closest thing Barca could get to club legend Xavi upon his arrival. A gifted midfielder, he was phenomenal at holding up possession and also had an incredible shot on him. However, Arthur never really settled at Barcelona after arriving in 2018 for around £35 million, though he did make 72 appearances.
Blaugrana sorely needed replacements for the departing Andres Iniesta and Paulinho in the summer of 2018. While they got Arturo Vidal to usurp the role of the latter in a seemingly like-for-like move, Arthur was nowhere near Iniesta's profile. The 24-year-old often looked for the safer option while passing, seemingly riddled with a fear of getting it wrong and being taken off.
Barcelona, too, failed to use him in the matches they should have. During the infamous 4-0 loss to Liverpool, the Catalans could have used a player like Arthur who could hold the ball under pressure. But they chose instead to go with an aging Ivan Rakitic and Vidal, who gave the ball away repeatedly as the Reds ran riot at Anfield.
Arthur then moved to Juventus in a swap deal of comedic proportions. He has very predictably not settled in at the Italian club and rumors suggest he could be on his way out yet again. With age on his side, Arthur could still become a wonderful player, but the last two seasons have set his career back without a doubt.
#3 Eden Hazard | Real Madrid
It would be an understatement to suggest Eden Hazard has struggled since moving to Real Madrid. The Belgian achieved his dream transfer to the Spanish capital in 2019 and took on the famous No. 7 shirt that was once sported by Cristiano Ronaldo.
But in the two years since, Hazard has made a paltry 43 appearances for Los Blancos, registering just five goals and eight assists. Injuries have plagued him time and again while he has been maligned repeatedly for not taking his fitness seriously.
Hazard has always been viewed as a player who seemed to enjoy life outside of football and statements from his teammates at Chelsea have only proved this. The relentless Real Madrid environment seems to have impeded massively on his carefree nature. Coupled with an impatient fanbase and massive transfer fees, it has clearly not helped the 30-year-old settle in or enjoy his football at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Hazard has shown glimpses of quality in the famed white jersey, but has come nowhere near his Chelsea best in the last two seasons. He remains one of the most talented and skillful players of this generation, but the decline in the Belgian's capabilities is undeniable.
#2 Antoine Griezmann | Barcelona
Barcelona's number 7 hasn't been as poor as his Real Madrid counterpart. But it is safe to say Antoine Griezmann has hit a serious roadblock after an incredible career at Atletico Madrid.
The Frenchman was the Euro 2016 Player of the Tournament for his nation and was crucial in Atletico Madrid's Europa League and Super Cup victories. But his much-maligned move to Barcelona has clearly set his career back by a few years. Yet another victim of the Catalan club's ridiculous cash splurge, Griezmann has made 99 appearances and contributed 35 goals for Barcelona so far.
While the figures aren't particularly woeful, they still fade in comparison to his 133 goals in 257 matches for Atletico. His experience with the Rojiblancos should have only made him more prolific at the Catalan club. Instead, the instability at the club has rubbed off on him, as he looks set to leave the Camp Nou just two seasons and a solitary Copa del Rey trophy to his name.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta seemingly wants the 30-year-old off the club's massive wage list. He is even ready to sell the Frenchman back to rivals Atletico in a reported player-plus-cash deal involving Saul Niguez. Griezmann was originally brought in to offer support to Luis Suarez at Barcelona; he now looks set to do that at Atletico instead. That should give you sufficient inkling about the poor organizational state of the Catalan giants at the moment.
Griezmann still has a few years left at the top, but is unlikely to reach the heights he was destined for. Had he stayed at Atletico, both he and the club might have benefitted. But a forced move to Barcelona has effectively bolstered his old side instead and he could potentially return to Atletico this summer with no guarantee of a starting berth.
#1 Gareth Bale | Real Madrid
We are aware that Gareth Bale is coming off a decent season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur. And yes, we know he could still prove to be deadly with Carlo Ancelotti back in the Real Madrid dugout.
But the downfall of Bale in recent years has been unavoidable, even though a reasonable proportion of it is not down to him alone. The Welshman has statistically thrived at Real Madrid, winning four Champions Leagues. He also has a healthy record of 105 goals and 68 assists in 251 matches for Los Blancos.
But many feel Bale has failed to live up to the potential he displayed when he originally arrived at the Spanish capital. He first fell out with Zinedine Zidane, who barely played him, and then with the fans as well.
The 32-year-old has repeatedly been plagued by injuries that have disrupted his career. But, in a similar vein to Hazard, Bale's occasional carefree attitude towards football meant he quickly fell out of favor with the Real Madrid fanbase. This clearly didn't deter the Welshman, who responded to the boos with banter (or rather, a banner) of his own.
Regardless of it all, Bale's decline has been quite steep. He displayed at Spurs that he could still deliver with the ball at his feet, which offered promise. But his performances at Euro 2020 proved once again how his career of late has been plagued by inconsistencies.
