A player of popular appeal (4)

I believe the answer is:

lara

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'a player' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I cannot judge whether it can be defined by this definition.

'of popular appeal' is the wordplay.
'of' indicates a hidden word.
'LARA' is hidden in the letters of 'popular appeal'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for lara that I've seen is " Dr Zhivago's lover".)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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