Antonio Rudiger names former Spurs midfielder as most underrated opponent

Real Madrid and German national team centre-back Antonio Rudiger has named a former Spurs midfielder as his "most underrated opponent", and there are no prizes for guessing who.

Whilst a guest on The Inside Scoop podcast (41:30) The 31-year old was asked "who is the most underrated player you have played with", and replied with "I have one that I didn't play with, but that I liked a lot" before reveleaing his answer to be former Spurs fan favourite Mousa Dembele.

Ruidger said "Mousa Dembele from Tottenham. Like, wow. This guy, [the fact] that he didn't play higher, no disrepect to Tottenham, but [the fact] that he didn't play higher at the bigger club[s], I don't know, I don't know how. I really don't know how. Because he had everything.

This guy, I've never seen someone so strong like him, like really, like this guy, he was like a wall. And technique, pfff, he doesn't know pressure. You can pass him the ball, two men can be behind him, no probem."

High praise indeed from a top level player who will have played against many world class players over his career in Serie A, the Premier League, La Liga and at international level. He was asked who the most underrated player he played with was, yet hearing the word 'underrated' made Dembele flash to mind so quickly he went for someone he played against instead. Only twice at that, too, showing just how much impression Dembele left.

This feels like a throwback to the Soccer AM days, where they would ask every Spurs player who the best player at the club was and they would all, without fail, say Dembele. Despite the club employing the likes of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Jan Vertonghen, and others. Kyle Walker also said he is "probably the best player I've ever seen play football" six years into being a team mate with Kevin De Bruyne.