It is quite common for the hardest-working amongst us to not get the kind of praise that they deserve and that is no different in football.
The role of a defender is one of the most unrewarding in the game, yet certain players gravitate towards that position due to the responsibilty that the individual has to adopt when helping to marshal the back-line.
UCD's Conor Kenna and Sligo Rovers' Gavin Peers are two players that consistently produce solid performances for their clubs, yet they manage to evade the hype machine that so easily sucks others up.
Republic of Ireland U-23 manager Pat Fenlon noticed how impressive they have been this season and decided to include them in his squad for their International Challenge matches against Slovakia and Northern Ireland.
It was a good choice too as Ireland didn't concede in either game and go into today's match with Belgium needing only a point to reach the final of the competition. So maybe now the spotlight will shift over to shine on these two reliable centre-backs.
Kenna is the latest player to follow in a long line of UCD youngsters that have gone on to represent Ireland and he is thrilled to be playing on the international stage as he thought that the opportunity had passed him by.
"I'm delighted to be involved with the whole set-up," said Kenna about making the cut for the third successive U-23 squad.
"I was called up for the U-21's before, but I got injured. I felt that my chance was gone and that I'd never have another chance to play for Ireland. So I'm grateful to be with the U-23's.
"It is a breath of fresh air for a lot of us too as it takes you away from what is happening at your club. Sometimes you can get bogged down with everything, so to play in a different type of match is always good.
"We only need a point from the game against Belgium, but we are aiming to win it and keep our winning streak going. There is no reason why we shouldn't reach the final with the squad of players we have."
It has been quite a mixed season for both players at their respective clubs this year, so it is unsurprising that they looking forward to this match as it serves as a chance for them to play in a different kind of game.
Peers has been outstanding for Sligo ever since he joined the club in 2006 and is now an integral part of The Bit O'Red. Just like Kenna, he is eager to rise up to the challenge of playing at international level.
"The two games so far went well for us and we showed that we are a good team," explained Peers.
"Obviously it is a little different from what we know at our clubs, because we are coming up against players that we don't know about. But that is something that spurs us on.
"We want to win each game by playing our way and show that we are capable of beating any team in this tournament. Two wins from two isn't bad, but three from three would be great.
"It would be foolish of us to under-estimate Belgium, but we have to focus on ourselves too. We are a good team with very good players and we have the ability to get to the final and win the entire thing."
Confidence is certainly high in the Irish camp and there is no reason why the players should not be soaking that up. After all, they have excelled in the two matches so far and have home advantage for their third fixture.
If Kenna or Peers get the nod to play against Belgium, then the defence will be a whole lot stronger as they will never stop trying to improve and help the team in any way that they can. They might not crave the attention for their displays, but they certainly deserve it.