Ranking the five most underrated central midfielders of the 21st century

#3 Ivan Rakitic

Valencia CF v Sevilla FC - La Liga Santander

Ivan Rakitic is one of the most well-rounded midfielders of his generation. The Swiss-born Croatian player began his career with Basel before moving to Schalke and spending four seasons in the Bundesliga.

He moved to Spain in 2011 with Sevilla where he honed his skills as a central midfielder, equally adept at breaking opposition plays and creating chances for his teammates.

He played an important role in the Basque club's UEFA Europa League winning run in the 2013-14 season. He was named the man of the match in the final and then Barcelona came calling.

With the Catalan club, he won a total of 10 titles but his contributions went unnoticed. Even with Croatia, his midfield partner Luka Modric overshadowed him. The player has hung up his boots in international competitions and is now back at Sevilla, leading their title charge this season.

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#2 Blaise Matuidi

Juventus v Udinese Calcio - Serie A

PSG is a team full of superstars, so it is likely that a quiet, hard-working player will likely be overlooked in favor of big names. Blaise Matuidi was one of the most consistent players at the Ligue 1 club in the last decade.

The French midfielder was one of the leading players in terms of tackles and interceptions in his six seasons at the club. In his final four seasons in Paris, he maintained a passing accuracy of 90% or more.

He played in an unfamiliar position on the pitch for France at the 2018 FIFA World Cup but proved equally effective. He won a lot of tackles and helped in recycling possession.

He won the 2015 French Player of the Year award but is not often listed among the players who played a key role in PSG's rise to the top.

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#1 Paul Scholes

Paul Scholes won 11 Premier League titles with Manchester United

Paul Scholes might have been one of the best midfielders of his generation but during his playing days, did not earn a lot of individual accolades. He did not receive a single vote despite five nominations in the Ballon d'Or standings.

The English midfielder won 11 Premier League titles with Manchester United, the most by an English player. The one-club man returned from retirement for a brief spell with the Red Devils in the 2012-13 campaign, winning the competition one final time.

His longevity and great technical abilities make him one of the modern-day Premier League legends.