For all the negative things one can say about the structure of European football today, just on talent alone, the game is in a really good place. Everywhere you look, there are capable players who are plying their trade at a high level. From those at the early stages of their career, to others who are closer to the end.

So it’s good to highlight some players who to varying levels are underrated and are also fun to watch. The inspiration for this exercise comes from another sport, basketball. Zach Lowe used to do an annual piece which would highlight some of his most favorite players in the NBA (later named the Marc Gasol All-Stars). The key to the exercise was that those chosen couldn’t be stars or highly rated prospects with star upside because it’d go against the spirit of the gimmick.

We’ll slightly tweak it to make it work for football. All of the players selected are in their later 20s. None of them ply their trade at clubs who have regularly competed in the Champions League or Europa League over the past 10-15 years. This iteration will keep it at five entries, but future ones can be extended to do an entire starting XI that includes players from outside the big 5 leagues. We’ll also be naming it after Mikkel Damsgaard, who’s been a favorite among sickos going back several years (including this from the late great Om Arvind).

Without further adieu, here’s the group.

We did a deep dive on Paris FC’s open play attack last week, so check it out if you haven’t done so already. While generating chances during settled possession has not been easy, one player who has risen above it is Lassine Sinayoko. The past few years has seen him become a dependable attacker in French football, alternating between playing as an inside forward or through the middle. Starting at striker week in and week out, 2026-27 is shaping up to be his season yet by some distance.

Sinayoko doesn’t necessarily have a single overwhelming strength to his game. Rather, he’s capable of doing different things which make him valuable. While not possessing elite burst off the mark, he’s very much a mobile attacker, and that aids his off-ball movement. He’s a willing runner, including sequences where he’ll try multiple cuts in quick succession. Sinayoko also has the ability to receive floor passes with decent consistency and act as a release valve with his back to goal. That said, he’s not the kind of forward you can constantly lump it forward towards versus capable center-backs.

On a Paris FC side which is trying to evolve on the ball, Sinayoko’s multiple strengths are very useful for them. Last week’s performance vs Rennes was a good illustration of his all-around effectiveness. He was involved in each of Paris FC’s four goals (two goals and two assists). The manner in which he registered them showed how additive he’s been to their attacking setup.

Given what he has done previously in his career, it’s hard to believe Sinayoko’s production will continue at its current pace (nine goal involvements in seven league appearances). This start to the season is the best stretch of form we’ve seen, and he might be Ligue 1’s MVP so far. However, even when he starts to cool off (including not converting a penalty nearly every other game), there still should be a solid floor of performance. Getting quality opportunities for himself at a good volume (over 3 non-penalty shots per 90), while also helping make his teammate’s lives easier in attack, is very helpful.

If you were to look at LaLiga’s leaderboard for total chances created through nine matchweeks according to Opta, some of the names aren’t a surprise. Lamine Yamal is already a savant playmaker as a teenager, and Arda Güler is no slouch himself. Meanwhile, Álex Baena has consistently been one of Spain’s most prolific chance creators, profiling as a less athletic version of what peak Kevin De Bruyne used to be.

The real surprise is who ranks third on the list: Iñigo Vicente. Changing it to be on a per 90 basis with at least 200 minutes played, he’d be eighth (7th in open play per Opta Analyst). For those who watched him last season in the second division, it’s not a total surprise. He was by some distance the league's best playmaker, ranking 1st in a variety of metrics (assists, chances created, expected assists).

What makes Vicente such a fun player is he might be one of the most daring passers in Europe. At almost a moment’s notice, he’s trying something audacious to create a big chance. Whether it’s a lob over the top, or manipulating the opposition to create openings for reverse passes that teammates could run towards. There might also be a trivela thrown in there for good measure. If he’s not spamming Hollywood pass attempts, you’ll see him ably operating in deeper areas to aid earlier phases of play.

Part of the equation for Racing Santander to survive relegation this season involved Vicente being the kind of heliocentric winger who can handle a high on-ball usage and still be highly effective. So far, so good on that front. Whether he can continue at this level or close to it will be key in the Spanish side’s chances of avoiding going back straight down.

Yes, there’s an argument to be made that someone like Mikkel Damsgaard shouldn’t be part of this exercise, let alone have it be named after him. After all, the Premier League has such an outsized influence in European football compared to the rest of the big 5 leagues. It’s hard to be underrated in the most popular league in the world.

However, even with those caveats, I think there’s still enough there for him to be a key part of this. What’s cool with Damsgaard is even with how athleticism-pilled the Premier League has become in recent years, a player of his archetype has been able to succeed. An emphasis on bringing the ball forward through carrying from deep to attract pressure, varied passing, and expert timing with his movement has made him Brentford’s creative hub.

Brentford’s ability to withstand key departures over the years and still remain far above the relegation fracas has been impressive. With the Premier League becoming less fixated on territorial dominance in the final third, it’s helped clubs like them who expertly transition from defense to attack (not to mention their consistent set-piece dominance). Through it all, Brentford have leaned on Damsgaard’s elite motor and wherewithal to remain competitive in the Premier League and perhaps soon sneak into Europe.

Nadiem Amiri has had an interesting career path. At one point, he was a highly rated prospect in German football for Hoffenheim and later on Bayer Leverkusen. However, playing time became an issue for him as Leverkusen began building the squad that would eventually topple Bayern Munich in 2023-24. By January 2024, he signed with Mainz for a modest transfer fee of €1 million.

It’s been there where Amiri’s career has seen a revival. He was a big part of Mainz’s 6th place finish in 2025, qualifying for the UEFA Conference League. His return to prominence has even brought him back to the German national team, earning a spot in Germany’s 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

What initially made Amiri a highly rated youngster was the aggressive dribbling and overall off the cuff nature of his skill-set in the opposition half. To some extent, that’s remained the case. However, he’s become more involved in helping the team progress play forward. Per Scout Lab, among qualified midfielders in the big 5 leagues, Amiri was in the 98th percentile for share of team’s progression (progressive carries and passes, fields gained, and final third entries). Off the ball, you also get intelligent runs into space through third man runs or trying to play off the striker for possible lay-off passes towards the box while having their back to goal.

Of course, Amiri still provides brilliance in the final third these days. There was a roughly 15 second sequence in the 44th minute of Mainz’s 4-3 loss to Leverkusen where following an interception in the opposition half, Amiri almost immediately played a lob pass towards Sheraldo Becker. After that fizzled out, the ball was circulated back to Amiri, who then tried an audacious throughball into the box.

Give Mainz a watch this season, if only to see what kind of trickery Amiri will try to pull off next.

Per Scout Lab, here’s last season’s top 5 for successful dribbles per 90 among center-backs in the big five leagues with at least 900 minutes played:

1) Christian Mawissa (1.36)
2) Oumar Solet (1.25)
3) Zaid Romero (1.07)
4) Lisandro Martínez (1.02)
5) Jean-Philippe Gbamin (0.94)

Solet ranking so high in dribbling and carrying metrics among CBs has become standard. Dating back to when he was with RB Salzburg, he profiled like one of the most unique players at his position. That’s continued to be the case in Serie A. The viz below from Scout Lab shows how much of a dual threat he was progressing the ball last season.

Playing in a back three setup has certainly enhanced Solet’s skill-set. He can play on either side (although probably best on the right), and will even move into midfield on occasion to help with buildup as part of a double pivot. Part of the reason why this is possible stems from him having the kind of neat footwork you don’t expect to see from a central defender. This can also show itself higher up the pitch as well. Take this example from Udinese’s defeat to Torino, where he’s able to maneuver himself into prime position just outside the box, although the pass itself ended up being intercepted.

It’s fair to wonder how much value Solet would give up if he has to play in a conventional back four. He’d ideally be one of the wide CBs in a back three, in part due to the added value he provides through off-ball runs. There’s worries over how he’d handle a greater defensive responsibility without the extra defender to help clean things up. Even still, he’s one of Serie A’s better players at the moment and his unique strengths are a big reason why.

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