Within the realm of soccer (or football, as the rest of the world calls it), hundreds of star players have come and gone. Some notable names that you may have heard before are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, etc. The past generation of players has begun to make space for these future stars, yet some have still flown under many fans’ radars. We introduce some of these hidden, underrated players by highlighting one goalkeeper, one defender, one midfielder and one attacker.
Guglielmo Vicario: Goalkeeper
While many fans were under the impression that Vicario signing for Tottenham Hotspur was a brand new face to the footballing world, it turns out that he’s 27 years old. His career technically began with Serie A professional team Udinese, but he never managed to make a first appearance. His earlier years consisted of joining multiple different Italian teams such as Venezia and Cagliari, before he finally secured a solid position with Serie A team Empoli. During the summer of 2023, Tottenham signed their future star keeper for €17.2 million, and Vicario has been an impactful force ever since.
Takehiro Tomiyasu: Wing Back
Tomiyasu began his career in Japan Avispa Fukuoka in June of 2015. After 52 appearances for the Japanese club, he earned himself a transfer to Belgian club Sint–Truiden, Tomiyasu only played in Belgium for 18 months before a transfer to Seria A club Bologna where he played for two years. Tomiyasu’s time in Italy caught the eye of Premier League side Arsenal. In Tomiyasu’s first season, he played a key defensive role on the right side. His second season was impacted by injuries and mistakes, however Arsenal fans will always remember him for his performance against Liverpool, in which he shut down Mo Salah, one of the best players in the world, for 90 minutes. Tomiyasu regain the trust of the coaching staff at Arsenal and was given a string of games at the start of this season. Unfortunately, Tomiyasu’s season has been interrupted by injuries again.
Douglas Luiz: Defensive Midfielder
This Brazilian defensive midfielder has been the heartbeat of a high-flying Aston Villa this year. Aston Villa Manager Unai Emery has transformed him from a possession-destroying central midfielder to a ball dominant, goal scoring and creative player. Luiz, who started his career in Brazil for Vasco da Gama, a club in the top flight of Brazil, was then bought by Manchester City, a transfer that never worked for him. Luiz was bought by Aston Villa in July of 2019 for almost $17 million before the team returned to the Premier League. Luiz’s performances have drummed up interest from the biggest clubs in England including a return to Manchester City, Liverpool or Arsenal.
Dominic Solanke: Striker
While his early years as a Chelsea footballer didn’t work out, Solanke kept his head held high and signed with Liverpool in 2017. He made 27 appearances in all competitions, but only managed to score two goals with Liverpool’s first team. After his first four years as a professional footballer being quite underwhelming, he made the decision of his career: signing for AFC Bournemouth for €19 million. Since then, he has scored 70 goals for the club in all competitions and has been especially impressive this season, as he’s largely responsible for Bournemouth’s success as of late. Solanke’s influence as a strong, offensive force is evident, and his future is bright if he can stay in form.
As the years pass, we should all expect to see an incredible amount of young players begin to revolutionize the game of soccer. Countries around the world are beginning to produce generational talents that will change the mindset of players for decades to come, and viewers cannot wait to experience the joy of watching soccer evolve before their very eyes.
