Key keywords: Fredrik Aursnes, most underrated footballer globally, Benfica midfield core, Norwegian professional soccer player, Primeira Liga top performer, underappreciated football talent, 2024 global football rankings, UEFA Champions League standout The global football community erupted in widespread agreement this week after leading sports analytics body the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) Football Observatory released its quarterly player performance assessment, naming 28-year-old Norwegian midfielder Fredrik Aursnes the official “most underrated player in the world” following 18 months of data tracking across 32 top-tier global leagues. Aursnes, who currently plays for Portuguese Primeira Liga giants Benfica, has operated as the unsung backbone of the club’s back-to-back domestic title wins and consecutive deep UEFA Champions League runs since he joined from Dutch side Feyenoord in 2022. Unlike his high-profile Norwegian compatriots Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, who compete in the high-exposure English Premier League, Aursnes has flown under mainstream media radar for most of his career despite posting elite metrics across every key midfield performance category. CIES data shows Aursnes ranks in the 98th percentile of all European first-division midfielders for combined defensive duels won, progressive pass completion rate, and ball recovery volume per 90 minutes, outperforming dozens of household name midfielders who earn three to four times his current annual salary. So far in the 2023/24 season, he has registered 11 assists and 4 goals across all competitions, while also leading Benfica in interceptions (72) and high-pressure scenario pass completion rate (91.2%). The report notes Aursnes’ underrated status stems largely from two factors: his decision to remain in the Primeira Liga rather than moving to a Big Five European league, and his unflashy playing style that prioritizes team function over individual highlight reels. Benfica coaching staff have repeatedly praised his extreme versatility, noting he can slot in seamlessly at left-back, defensive midfield, and box-to-box midfield depending on tactical requirements, making him one of the most flexible top-flight players in Europe. He has also become a core starter for the Norwegian men’s national team over the past two years, forming a formidable midfield partnership with Ødegaard that has lifted the country’s FIFA world ranking by 14 spots since 2023. Multiple Premier League and La Liga clubs have already been linked with a summer 2024 move for Aursnes, with industry insiders predicting his market value could jump from the current €45 million to over €70 million if he secures a transfer to a higher-exposure league.