In brief
In today’s game, there are numerous varieties of midfielders, each of whom contributes significantly to their team and nation.
Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri are among the Manchester City players who rank among the top 20 midfielders in the world of football.
Even though Luka Modric’s prime is over, he remains one of the greatest in the world.
It’s commonly believed that the football side that prevails in the midfield duel usually wins the match. They are typically crucial to the outcome of a game, whether they are a holding midfielder who can stop the opposition’s attack, an offensive midfielder who can contribute goals and assists, or a box-to-box player who can play both sides well.
In light of this, the top 20 midfield players in the world are listed below, arranged in order of skill. Players like Jude Bellingham and Kevin De Bruyne are included in these rankings, which are based on the following criteria.
Ranking Elements
Current Form
2024 Individual Awards 2024 Team Trophies
Relevance to the Team (Club)
Relevance to the National Team
The Function of Respective Teams
Ranking of the Best Midfielders in the World
Rank
Name
Group
Country of origin
One
Rodri
City of Manchester
Spain
2.
Bellingham, Jude
Real Madrid
England
3.
Musiala Jamal
The Bayern Munich
Germany
4.
Rice, Declan
The Arsenal
England
5.
Gravenberch, Ryan
Liverpool
The Netherlands
6.
Pedri
Barcelona
Spain
7.
Valverde Federico
Real Madrid
Uruguay
8.
Odegaard, Martin
The Arsenal
Norway
9.
De Bruyne, Kevin
City of Manchester
Belgium
10.
Allister, Alexis Mac
Liverpool
Argentina
11.
Tchouameni Aurelien
Real Madrid
France
Twelve
Fernandes Bruno
United Manchester
Portugal
13.
Camavinga, Eduardo
Real Madrid
France
14
Kimmich, Joshua
The Bayern Munich
Germany
15.
Olmo Dani
Barcelona
Spain
16
Modric Luka
Real Madrid
Croatia
17
Xhaka Granit
Leverkusen Bayer
Switzerland
18
Barella, Nicolo
Milan Inter
Italy
19.
Caicedo Moises
Chelsea
Ecuador
20
Guimaraes Bruno
Newcastle
Brazil
Picture gallery of the world’s best midfielders
20Bruno Guimaraes
Newcastle and Brazil
The Magpies had to make a huge investment in their team when Newcastle’s takeover was first finalised in 2021. After a little more than three years, this buy is most likely their greatest to date. Bruno Guimaraes has received nothing but praise for his performances in the renowned black and white at St. James’ Park.
For a long time, there have been rumours that the Brazilian will depart the team to pursue greater opportunities. However, despite these rumours, the number 39 has remained in place and his love has not diminished. As Eddie Howe’s team strives for a return to Europe’s top tournament, he keeps getting better.
19Moises Caicedo
Chelsea and Ecuador
During his first season wearing Chelsea’s colours, Moises Caicedo received a lot of criticism. His young shoulders were expected to immediately tighten up a leaky Blues midfield because he was the most expensive signing in the league’s history.
Even though the Ecuador destroyer had a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge, he improved his performances significantly towards the close of the previous season. Caicedo has been a mainstay of Enzo Maresca’s new management at the club. He has improved steadily in west London, locking down the midfield and scoring a goal against Manchester United in one of his best performances as he attempts to gradually pay back the £115 million that was paid for him with interest.
18Nicolo Barella
Inter and Italy
One of the greatest midfielders in the world, Nicolo Barella has played a significant role in Inter Milan’s recent success. Barella was a mainstay when Inter won Serie A in 2023–24 and advanced to the Champions League final in 2023.
Alongside Jorginho and Marco Verratti, the 27-year-old started the final in the engine room, contributing to Italy’s victory at Euro 2020. Even though Barella might not be joining the Premier League anytime soon, the midfielder has repeatedly shown that he is a top player in Serie A and Europe, playing as a vital cog in the engine room while others score goals and provide assists.
17Granit Xhaka
Bayer Leverkusen and Switzerland
Many Arsenal supporters would not have believed you if you had said five years ago that Granit Xhaka would be one of the world’s top midfielders and an unbeatable Bundesliga champion. However, since joining Bayer Leverkusen, the Swiss international has been nothing short of exceptional.
The former Premier League star has become as a vital member of Die Werkself’s midfield under Xabi Alonso’s guidance, leading them to both the league title and the DFB-Pokal with some incredible performances along the road. Additionally, Bukayo Saka’s late equaliser and following penalty shootout saved Switzerland from advancing to the Euro 2024 semi-finals. Even though Leverkusen might not be as dominant this season, Xhaka is still contributing as they try to stay ahead of the chase.
16Luka Modric
Real Madrid and Croatia
Without Luka Modric, what would the ranking of the best midfield players be? Since joining Real Madrid from Tottenham, the Croatian has been the team’s beating heart. His ability to halt Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s dominance to win the Ballon d’Or in 2018 is a testament to his talent and the respect he is given.
Modric has led what is perhaps Croatia’s most successful national team in addition to winning six Champions League titles with Los Blancos. As his nation advanced to the 2018 World Cup final and the 2022 semifinals in Qatar, he has managed games virtually alone. As he watches his playing time at the Bernabeu diminish, one of the greatest midfielders of all time stands in the bottom half of this list because age is finally starting to catch up with him. The former Spurs star turned 39 in September.
15Dani Olmo
Barcelona and Spain
a Euro 2024 star. When Pedri sustained an injury in the quarterfinal match against Germany and was declared out for the remainder of the tournament, many fans were worried. However, Dani Olmo made a great contribution to his nation, so there was no need to fear.
The playmaker had been among the Bundesliga’s best midfielders for a number of years, so it shouldn’t have been shocking. Olmo’s brilliant vision and smooth dribbling make him a terror for opposing midfielders and defenders. Along with five other players, the 26-year-old impressively won the Euro 2024 Golden Boot, which facilitated his summer transfer to Barcelona. Despite the constant distractions of registration problems, he has also been able to carry over his summer success into the beginning of current season, as he has five goals in 12 La Liga games thus far, unlike his teammate Fabian Ruiz.
14Joshua Kimmich
Bayern Munich and Germany
Joshua Kimmich is an essential part of the Allianz Arena’s machinery since he leads Bayern Munich and has a no-nonsense attitude. The German international is used as a holding midfielder or a right-back and excels in both positions, but since assuming the management position, Vincent Kompany has chosen to use him in the engine room.
Since joining the team from Stuttgart in 2015, he has made over 400 appearances for the Bavarian powerhouses, demonstrating his importance. However, his versatility for both club and nation restricts how high he can rank among out-and-out midfielders in this list. His future in Bavaria is still up in the air, and Vincent Kompany’s team would suffer a devastating blow if he were to go.
13Eduardo Camavinga
Real Madrid and France
The Swiss Army Knife of Real Madrid is Eduardo Camavinga. The Frenchman has been a playmaking left-back, a box-to-box runner, and a holding midfielder. No matter where he is on the pitch, the left-footed great can dictate the pace of games thanks to his exceptional technical skill.
Even at the age of 22, Camavinga has a lot of untapped potential. With Luka Modric nearing the end of his top-tier career and Toni Kroos retiring, he will need to perform even better for Los Blancos in the upcoming years. When N’Golo Kante puts up his boots for France, the young player will also have large shoes to fill on the international front. No one questions Camavinga’s ability to fill those shoes with ease, which is the greatest compliment he can receive.
12Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United and Portugal
The work of Bruno Fernandes is just amazing. Having scored over ten goals in each of his five seasons at United, the Portugal star’s greatest attribute is his reliable output. In the English top division last season, no one generated more huge opportunities than him. He had his finest season to date in 2020–21, scoring 18 goals and dishing out 11 assists in 37 Premier League games alone.
Fernandes has emerged as a leader for this United team and is among the best in terms of numbers alone. Despite only being in the league for six years, he ranks sixth in all Premier League big chances created. He has a knack for a killer pass and is always willing to try something new in an attempt to score. There’s no need to search any farther for a goal-scoring midfielder of the modern era than the Portuguese sensation, who has also been predicted to become a manager.
11Aurelien Tchouameni
Real Madrid and France
In these ranks, Aurelien Tchouameni is only marginally ahead of Camavinga, his club and international teammate. Although the great manager has often put his faith in the former Monaco star, Didier Deschamps has yet to fully trust Camavinga for Les Bleus.
He contributed significantly to Real Madrid’s wildly successful 2023–2024 season and is now establishing himself as a key member of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad. In addition to being more of a destroyer than his aforementioned teammates, Tchouameni is also more than capable when he has the ball. Supporters are well aware of his ability to pass and his propensity to move forward forcefully with the ball, but they are unaware of the dirty work he undertakes.
10Alexis Mac Allister
Liverpool and Argentina
The man who assisted Argentina in winning the 2022 World Cup. The fact that Liverpool paid Brighton a high price to sign Alexis Mac Allister two summers ago was not surprising given his stellar 2022–2023 season for both club and nation.
Under Arne Slot, the successor to Jurgen Klopp, Mac Allister, who won the League Cup in his debut season as a Liverpool player, will be looking to win further trophies. The Argentine is not out of place among the best midfielders in the world of football, but he may still have a ways to go before catching up to some of the other Premier League players on this list. Under his new management, he has improved his game to a new level as the Reds aim to consolidate their lead at the top of the Premier League table after winning the inaugural league phase of the Champions League.
9Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City and Belgium
Even with his injury issues, Kevin De Bruyne is unquestionably one of the finest players in the world when healthy and performing at his peak, especially considering his position. Any season in which the Belgium star isn’t at the top of the assists statistics is a huge shock because he has been an absolute wizard during his tenure at Manchester City in the Premier League.
Even for a well-oiled machine like Pep Guardiola’s team, it’s safe to assume that City would appear like a completely different team without the playmaker, who has been the best player on the best team in England for the previous several years. Although there are indications that the Belgian is slowing down, his current accomplishments are sufficient to guarantee his spot in the top 10.
8Martin Odegaard
Arsenal and Norway
Martin Odegaard was so highly regarded that he made headlines while he was just a young adolescent. Following a failed move to Real Madrid, he has undoubtedly found a home in north London, where his club’s supporters adore him. Despite not being a clear candidate for a captaincy role, Odegaard has accepted it and is still the mastermind behind Mikel Arteta’s midfield. He is currently the captain of Arsenal.
Despite missing out on the Premier League title in 2022–2023 and 2023–2024, Odegaard will undoubtedly have been instrumental in helping Arsenal win the league in the upcoming seasons. His absence always has a noticeable impact on the club, and until recent injuries tore them apart, few midfielders this season have been able to equal his linkup ability with Bukayo Saka. To a certain degree, the pair have evolved into contemporary versions of Denni Bergkamp and Thierry Henry.
7Federico Valverde
Real Madrid and Uruguay
Federico Valverde, another dependable lieutenant under Carlo Ancelotti, is able to achieve anything. When his manager has needed more help going back, the Uruguayan has played wide on the right, but when given the chance in midfield, he is a very dynamic player.
With Kroos already retiring, Valverde, who has been a mainstay in the Madrid squad for a number of seasons, will assume an even more significant role alongside Tchouameni and Camavinga. Because to his outstanding performance in the 2024 Copa America, Valverde is also his country’s greatest hope. The Real Madrid star is probably going to end up with some kind of winners medal around his neck in 2025 if he can assist propel Los Blancos to their ambitions, even though Marcelo Bielsa’s team failed to win the championship.
6Pedri
Barcelona and Spain
It’s possible that Barcelona has finally discovered a long-term replacement for Andres Iniesta after years of looking. Pedri, who was acquired from Las Palmas in 2019, has become Spain’s next big thing. Given the impact he is already having on his team, it is easy to see why the excitement is warranted. In fact, manager Hansi Flick recently stated that he is unlike anyone else in his position at the moment.
He feels like a La Masia product because to his smooth feet and deft passing, and it’s safe to assume that he is not just Barcelona’s midfield’s future but also Spain’s. Prior to suffering a regrettable injury, Pedri was a vital member of Spain’s midfield, which ultimately won Euro 2024. In the 2024–25 season, he has started all but two Barcelona games after recovering in time to become a vital member of Hansi Flick’s team.
5Ryan Gravenberch
Liverpool and Netherlands
Ryan Gravenberch has been outstanding under Arne Slot this season after having a difficult second half of the 2023–24 campaign under former manager Jurgen Klopp. Although the Dutchman wasn’t anticipated to start frequently, he has been a wonderful fit with Mac Allister in the number six position, squelching any rumours that the Reds need a new defensive midfielder.
As he shows signs of returning to his Ajax glory days, supporters have welcomed his poise and confidence in the engine room, as well as his running power that is reminiscent of a certain Yaya Toure and his clean spins that are reminiscent of an old Anfield favourite, Thiago Alcantara. Assuming he maintains his current level of performance throughout the season, he will undoubtedly be on par with the Declan Rices and Rodris of the world.
4Declan Rice
Arsenal and England
Declan Rice has become one of the Premier League’s top centre midfielders, earning a high-profile transfer to Arsenal in 2023. The England player had a great first season at the Emirates as Arsenal just missed winning the Europa Conference League, and he helped his old team, West Ham, win it at the end of his last season at the London Stadium.
Rice will be hoping to win a few more titles along the line, since he still has a number of years left to play at the highest level. The former Hammers player, a mainstay in the Gunners’ and England’s engine rooms, has the potential to be the world’s best box-to-box or holding midfielder. He will be the key to everything.
3Jamal Musiala
Bayern Munich and Germany
In the years to come, Jamal Musiala of Bayern Munich, one of the best young players in the world, will only continue to improve. With 10 goals in the Bundesliga after just 17 games, the Germany international is already creating the kind of final product that many players in their prime would be proud of, but he still appears poised to be the team’s mainstay at both the club and international levels.
You would expect him to join the Ballon d’Or discussion sooner rather than later if he keeps up his present rate. There is no denying that Musiala will be among the best in the world for the foreseeable future. He has occasionally performed admirably from the left wing, but it is painfully clear that an offensive midfield position is where his future lies.
2Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid and England
Before making a big-money move to Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham excelled at Borussia Dortmund and became the buzz of the town thanks to his remarkable progress there. After defeating old team Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley, Bellingham’s first season in the Spanish capital ended as both a La Liga winner and a European champion.
There is a good chance that the midfield player could possibly be considered for a Ballon d’Or, since he still has over ten years left in his career and is not even close to reaching his prime. He hasn’t quite reached the same heights, so maybe he wouldn’t be as high if only this season were taken into consideration. However, it’s crucial to note that he has been one of the few bright spots in a difficult Los Blancos season thus far, tallying seven goals and six assists in 18 La Liga games.
1Rodri
Manchester City and Spain
Rodri is currently the world’s top midfield player in terms of importance and quality. Many expected him, a holding player who would disrupt attacks and pass to his more inventive teammates, to be Manchester City’s long-term Fernandinho successor when he arrived from Atletico Madrid. Rather, the Spaniard has had an unparalleled influence on this team.
He has been adding goals to his repertoire in more recent years; in 2023, he scored the game-winning goal to help City win their first Champions League trophy ever against Inter. Rodri is a seasoned winner; he won the 2024 Ballon d’Or after playing a significant part in Man City’s historic fourth consecutive Premier League title victory and was named Player of the Tournament during Spain’s Euro 2024 winning campaign. Although Rodri will regrettably miss the majority of the 2024–25 season due to a knee ligament injury sustained against Arsenal, his team’s recent poor performance, which eliminated them from the Premier League title chase, only serves to highlight how outstanding the Spaniard is.
