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Does Sergio Aguero get the recognition he deserves?

After his stunning performance at Aston Villa this past weekend, Sergio Aguero holds the Premier League record for hat-tricks with 12, and he’s overtaken Thierry Henry to become the highest-scoring overseas player in the league’s history, with 177 goals. And he did it in fewer appearances, too.

Aguero is the league’s all-time fourth highest scorer—and is on pace to overtake Andy Cole to be third by the end of the season. And, naturally, he’s Man City’s top league goalscorer.

He is a Premier League icon, who is responsible for the league’s most iconic goal of all time, at the climax of the 2011-12 season.

But here’s the thing: despite his achievements and status, Aguero still seems hugely underrated.

The 31-year-old only made the PFA Team of the Year for the first time in 2018, having been snubbed he six years prior. He’s never been included in the FIFPro World XI and only has six total Player of the Month Awards.

How can this be? The guy has been No.1 pick in Fantasy for most of the last decade and his team definitely wouldn’t have won four Premier League titles without his help.

Not only that, but at 31 years old, he seems to keep getting better! Pep Guardiola famously isn’t a fan of No.9 strikers and initially favoured Gabriel Jesus.

But Aguero has adapted his game to provide more assists and to work to win back possession.

In addition to his work rate increasing, he’s averaging a goal every 77 minutes this season, which is a better strike rate than he’s had in any other Premier League season.

Aguero is undoubtedly one of the best No.9s to have played in England, and yet he seems to he taken for granted most of the time.

Even Guardiola seems to downplay his status: this past weekend, when asked if Aguero was the best No.9 he has ever managed, Pep said he was “one of the best," but that Messi "is the best." Even though Messi isn’t really a No.9.

So why doesn’t Aguero get more credit? Is it because he’s quiet and doesn’t play the media game? Is he less impactful than his stats suggest?

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