Midfielders are the heart of football. The best midfielders are the controller of the game in football. It remembers that the midfielders always make a bridge between defense and attack. They also split the defense and made some goals and assists.
Here is a short list of some of the best midfielders presently making their mark on the game. I decided to consider their performance in recent times over the period for their team. So let’s look at the best midfielders on my top list.
Table of Contents
20. MARCO VERRATTI
- Date of birth – 05.11.1992
- Place of birth- Pescara
- Position – Central Midfield (CM), Defensive Midfield (DM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club – Paris Saint-Germain
- Nation- Italy
Early career
Marco Verratti is one of the best midfielders on my list. In his childhood, he grew up in Pescara. He idolizes Alessandro Del Piero. He started up his youth career with Pescara. After that, he joined their senior team and made an impressive impact.
Verratti served Italy in various age group tournaments. He had a standout playmaking performance in the 2011–12 season. In 2012, Verratti signed for Paris Saint-Germain. At Paris Saint-Germain, he showed his caliber of performance.
Recent Performances
Verratti played as a defensive midfielder and central midfielder. In the 2020 Euro cup, Verratti was dominant in the midfield and won the Cup. In the 2021-22 season, he played an excellent match against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. He fights for every ball dominant in the middle of the pitch.
Throughout the season, we spotted Verratti as a magician in the midfield. Veratti won the 10th time title this year with Paris Saint-Germain. In 2021–2022, he scored twice and provided two assists in Ligue 1.
In a press conference, Christophe Galtier praised Marquinhos. At the same time, he pointed out the importance of Marco Verratti in the midfield.
Playing Style
Verratti has one of the best midfielders in football. He has some positive qualities to be the best midfielder.
- He is an excellent playmaker and dribbler.
- Verratti shows confidence and conviction in the ball.
- He has the quality of keeping possession.
- His accurate long passes and great range of passing abilities highlighted him.
- He creates opportunities for teammates in midfield.
- Verratti controls the tempo of his team’s play through quick, accurate movements in the middle of the field.
- As a midfielder, he efficiently handles defensive work and attacking duty.
This quality made him one of the best midfielders in football. Further, his attacking pass simultaneously and his defensive ability showcased him as the best midfielder in FIFA 21, FIFA 22, and FIFA 19.
19. THIAGO ALCANTARA
- Date of birth – 11.04.1991
- Place of birth- San Pietro Vernotico
- Position – Defensive Midfield (DM), Central Midfield (CM), Attacking Midfield (AM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club – Liverpool
- Nation- Spain
Early Career
Thiago was born in San Pietro Vernotico, Italy. Mazinho, his father, is a Brazilian. While he was playing for neighboring US Lecce, Thiago was born.
Thiago began his career at the lower levels of Flamengo in Brazil. At five, he moved to Spain and played for the Galician team Ureca.
He played for Kelme in 2000, while his father played for Elche. In 2001, he returned to Flamengo at ten. He returned to Spain in 2005 and joined the FC Barcelona youth squad.
From 2008 to 13, he played for Barcelona B and the primary team. After that, he moved to Bayern Munich in 2013. In 2020, he signed with the Premier League club Liverpool. Thiago served Spain in various age group tournaments.
Recent Performances
Before joining Liverpool, Thiago had the experience of playing in teams like Barcelona and Bayern Munich. In 150 appearances for Bayern Munich, he scored 17 goals. He became one of the best midfielders in the world during his career at Bayern Munich.
Thiago Alcantara carried a wide range of knowledge to Liverpool when he arrived in September 2020. He appeared in 24 Premier League games in 2020, scoring once against Southampton.
Despite a challenging first season because of injuries, he contributed to Liverpool reaching third in the Premier League. During the 2021-22 season, Thiago shone in midfield.
This time he helped Liverpool reach the final of the UEFA Champions League and helped Liverpool finish second in the Premier League. Thiago helped Liverpool to win the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.
Playing Style
- Thiago thoroughly follows the ball and scans the ground properly to find his teammates.
- He absorbs the pressure in the midfield, and his excellent first touch smooths the gameplay.
- In pressure situations, he uses his body movement to gid rid of his opponents.
- He has superior visions and long-pass accuracy to generate an attack.
- He smoothly switches the game into the flanks and breaks the zonal covering.
- In the midfield, Thiago controls the ball astonishingly and creates spaces with the ball for more attacks.
- He has a good defensive quality.
- In 1vs 1 situations, he intercepts the ball tactfully.
- He has a leadership quality in midfield.
Thiago has impressed everyone with his playing style. Also, his performance was quite remarkable for several years. We see him in the list of best midfielders in FIFA 19, 20, 21, and 22.
18. SERGIO BUSQUETS
- Date of birth – 16.07.1988
- Place of birth- Sabadell
- Position – Defensive Midfield (DM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club – FC Barcelona
- Nation- Spain
Early Career
Busquets started his journey with the local club CD Badia del Vallès. In 2005, he joined the youth team of Barcelona. After a brilliant performance, they selected him for the Barcelona B team under Guardiola.
Busquets played brilliantly for Barcelona B and helped them to promotion to the third division. In 2008, they selected him for the senior team. He represented the Under-21 Spanish national team in 2008.
Recent Performances
In Euro 2020, Busquets played brilliantly in the group stage match against Slovakia. As a result, he got the man of the match award. Busquets played brilliantly against Croatia in the round of 16 games and gained the man of the match award.
As one of the best midfielders in football, Busquets stood out after the Xavi era and the Iniesta era in football. One of the most silent conductors in a defensive midfield position. Barcelona won the most-awaited trophy in the 2020-21 Copa Del Rey.
In Copa Del Rey, Busquets showed his classy form. In the 2021-22 La Liga, he made 36 appearances and scored two goals. He continues to rank among the best midfielders in football despite his age. In the World Cup qualifier, he also played efficiently.
Playing Style
- Busquets has excellent defensive ability.
- He has excellent position sense, awareness, and tackling ability.
- With the ball and without the ball, he used the whole ground.
- Busquets have a strong heading ability.
- Defense-breaking passing ability is one of his best qualities.
- He beautifully covers the space.
- Busquets use strength to stop an attack. He doesn’t hesitate to foul if he needs to.
- In defensive midfield, we know him for his exceptional ball control skills and precise passing abilities.
The playing style of Sergio Busquets gave confidence in the coach. The quality of his play made him one of the best midfielders in football. We saw him as one of the best midfielders in FIFA 19 and FIFA 21 sports games.
17. N’GOLO KANTE
- Date of birth – 29.03.1991
- Place of birth- Paris
- Position – Defensive Midfield (DM), Central Midfield (CM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club -Chelsea
- Nation- France
Early Career
Kante faced many problems because of his physics in his youth. At JS Suresnes, he first signed his youth deal. In 2010, he signed for a reserved team in Boulogne. Kante joined the French national team in 2016.
In 2013, he joined the Ligue 2 club, Stade Malherbe Caen, in 75 matches and scored four goals. After that, Steve Walsh scouted him to Leicester City.
Kante scored his first premier league goal against Watford in 2015. He received a lot of respect and credit for his constantly powerful performances for Leicester.
Chelsea signed him in 2016 and proved himself as one of the best midfielders in football. Against Manchester United, Kante scored his first goal for Chelsea. A year later, he helped the MANU to win the FA Cup. He renewed his contract for five years in 2018. Nowadays, he is one of the best midfielders in football.
Recent Performances
Kante made an outstanding knock in the premier league. He won consecutive Premier League championships with two separate teams.
In 2015-16 Kante won with Leicester City and won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2016-17.
Kante won the Player of the Season award in 2016-17. Besides being a disruptive force in the middle of the field, Kante keeps the ball well in his control, and this season, his link-up play has much improved.
The little midfielder contributed to France’s World Cup win in 2018. This French man made an outstanding play throughout the tournament.
He was one of the best midfielders when they won the Champions League in 2020-21. Furthermore, Kante has been named UEFA’s Best Midfielder of the Year for 2021. He received a nomination for the Ballon d’Or in 2021.
Playing Style
- Kante covers a lot of ground, has outstanding tackling abilities, and operates as an almost unbreakable shield. He reads the game smartly.
- He genuinely has excellent positional discipline and maintains his position very well.
- He always reaches a privileged position when he needs to win the ball. His positional discipline makes his half of the job easy.
- Kante tackles so smartly in a dangerous situation.
- As a CDM, he tactfully uses his body to off an attack.
- He intentionally tackles opponents on their weak side to win the ball.
- He possesses a strong recovery posture and a high work rate.
- Last, he has excellent speed and plays multiple roles at a time.
His playing style made him one of the best midfielders in football. He listed the best midfielders in FIFA 19, FIFA 20, and FIFA 21.
16. CASEMIRO
- Date of birth – 23.02.1992
- Place of birth- São José dos Campos
- Position – Defensive Midfield (DM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club – Manchester United
- Nation- Brazil
Early Career
Casemiro was born in Sao Paulo. At an early age, he faced some poverty and mental agony. In his early years, he played for São Paulo-affiliated Paulista de Futebol.
Casemiro worked hard to go through the Sao Paulo FC junior system and become a valuable player. He served as its captain beginning when he was 11 years old.
He finally achieved the fame he had been waiting for when he competed in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. In 2010, they promoted him to the senior team of Sao Paulo.
It was in 2013 that he joined the primary Real Madrid team. For one year, he played for Porto on loan. Recently, he joined Manchester United for a 4-year deal.
Recent Performances
Casemiro is one of the best midfielders in football. He played most of his career in Real Madrid.
During his time with Real Madrid, he played 221 games and scored 24 goals. For a year, he played in Porto, and there he scored three goals in 28 appearances.
Since joining Real Madrid, Casemiro has won the UEFA Champions League 4 times and three times in La Liga. From 2015 to 16, he showed his class in the midfield of Real Madrid. In the Zidane era, he was at his peak.
Casemiro was the midfield engine in the 2019-20 season. As a trio, Casemiro, Modric, and Kroos occupied the most dynamic and dominant positions in the midfield.
In the 2022-23 season, he joined Manchester United with a four-year deal. He already showed his class in the Premier League.
Playing Style
- Casemiro played as a deep-lying midfielder. He holds the ball from the back and controls the game.
- He always faced the first attack and removed the threats from the defense.
- When a quick counterattack occurs, he moves in to make the tackle. Sometimes he has to concede to foul for that.
- Casemiro puts pressure on the attackers until his defensive line restores their spots. He excellently covers the defense and midfield.
- He covers the whole middle of the parking area and always leads in the midfield.
- At the time of the attack, Casemiro joins the attack and preserves the structure of the move.
- Casemiro excellently passed the ball and recovered the position. He is a great set-piece taker.
- He didn’t get involved in the attack more but built the attack from behind.
He has already impressed everyone with his performance. He’s among the best midfielders in FIFA 19.
15. MARCO LLORENTE
- Date of birth – 30.01.1995
- Place of birth- Madrid
- Position – Defensive Midfield (DM), Central Midfield (CM), Right Midfield (RM), Right Back (RB), Second Striker (SS)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club – Atlético de Madrid
- Nation- Spain
Early Career
Marcos Llorente is the son of retired Spanish footballer Paco Llorente. It shows that football is in his DNA. So it was no surprise for him to come to football. He began his youth career with Las Rozas.
After that, he played for Nueva Roceña and Rayo Majadahonda for one year, respectively.
At 13, he impressed Zinedine Zidane and secured his spot in the Real Madrid youth team. After that, he started his senior career with the Real Madrid B team. In 58 games as a senior, he scored three goals.
It was in 2015 that they promoted him to the main squad. In 2015, he was loaned to Alavés. During the 2019 season, Llorente joined Atlético Madrid. He represented his country in many age-level events.
Recent Performances
Marcos Llorente proved himself to be one of the best midfielders in football. He joined Atlético Madrid with potential talent. It was his fifth goal and fifth assist in 36 games in 2019-20.
He scored the first goal against Valencia in La Liga with a right-footed shot. In the 2019-20 season, he displayed a standout performance in the midfield.
Atlético Madrid secured third place in La Liga this season. In the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool, he scored two goals as a substitute and lifted the team into the quarterfinals.
In the 2020-21 season, he was at his peak. Llorente scored 13 goals and 12 assists in 45 games. In the midfield, he was dominant all over the pitch. Llorente was not at his peak in the next season. He made a fresh start in the 2022-23 season.
Playing Style
- Llorente can play multiple positions. He provides defensive steel in the midfield.
- As a midfielder, Llorente has a spirited pace. He quickly turns around with the ball, making room for his teammates.
- He always tries to keep possession and keep the ball in the field.
- This one of the best midfielders in football loves to play short passes. Playing a wall pass with his teammates, he reached the scoring area.
- Llorente is the master of a long shot. From outside the box, he made more goals with long shots.
- Being of superb physique, Llorente won the physical battle.
- He has excellent positioning sense and high work rates.
- As a defensive midfielder, he gives solidity in the midfield with his brilliant time tackles and covering.
From the 2019 to 20 season, he was one of the best midfielders in FIFA 19. We also see him as one of the best midfielders in the next edition of FIFA.
14. PEDRI
- Date of birth – 25.11.2002
- Place of birth- Tegueste
- Position – Central Midfield (CM), Attacking Midfield (AM), Left Winger (LW),
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club – FC Barcelona
- Nation- Spain
Early Career
Pedro González López in short PEDRI. He became interested in football at a young age because he was born into a football-crazy family. As a child, Pedri often played football on Teguise Street.
At 13, he joined the academy of Juventud Laguna in his hometown. He developed his skills there, and scouts continued to monitor his development.
He joined Las Palmas’ youth team because of his remarkable improvement. In 2019, they promoted him to the main squad. In 36 games in 2019–20, he scored four goals.
Barcelona recruited him in 2020 on a five-year contract. In various age group tournaments, Pedri represents the national team.
Recent Performances
Pedri impressed everyone at UD Las Palmas with his midfield creativity and established himself in the list of one of the best midfielders in football. He had impressive dribbling and passing skills with brilliant assists and scoring ability.
In the 2020 Euro, Pedri showed phenomenal performance. He was the best young midfielder in the Euro 2020. Pedri created a sensation with his 90-up passing accuracy.
In his first season with Barcelona, Pedri had some standout midfield performances. He showed maturity in the midfield and contributed two assists in six Copa del Rey games. Barcelona won the Copa del Rey that year.
Pedri also scored a stunning effort in La Liga. He took on some midfield duty and showed his brilliance. He hoped to better himself for Barcelona’s midfield in 2021-22. In La Liga, he has three goals and one assist.
In the 2022-23 season, he again showed his creativity in midfield in La Liga.
Playing Style
- Pedri is a versatile midfielder. He can play multiple positions in different formations.
- He possesses exceptional balance and dribbling ability.
- As a player with a brilliant attacking mindset, he shows a great range of passing and splendid vision.
- He needs to improve his tackle ability and defensive ability.
- In the aerial dual, he needs some improvement in physics and finishing.
- He excellently shields the ball and maintains position. As a great dribbler, he beat powerful defenders and opened up space for his teammates.
- Pedro has great speed with super agility. He plays as a playmaker behind the forward and switches both flanks.
- In the midfield, he helps to rebuild the attack and uses his pace to build the counterattack.
Pedri already establishes his spot in the Barca squad. He proved himself as one of Barcelona’s best midfielders. We see him as the best midfielder in FIFA 21.
13. ILKAY GUNDOGAN
- Date of birth – 24.10.1990
- Place of birth- Gelsenkirchen
- Position – Central Midfield (CM), Attacking Midfield (AM), Defensive Midfield (DM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club – Manchester City
- Nation- Germany
Early Career
Gundogan started football during his school days. In SV Gelsenkirchen-Hessler 06, he began his youth career. Gundogan started in the youth team of VfL Bochum, where he learned his skills and developed as a player.
In 2008-09, he played in the reserve team of VfL Bochum. Next year, he moved to Nürnberg. While at Nürnberg, he began slowly in the public eye. There he played 52 matches and scored eight goals and six assists.
During that time, he played for Germany in various age group tournaments.
In 2011, Gundogan signed with Borussia Dortmund. Gundogan kept up his impressive play on the field at a young age. For his attitude on the field, Klopp praised him. He played for 5 years and scored ten goals.
In 2016, he joined Premier League giant Manchester City.
Recent Performance
One of the best midfielders in football Gundogan scored his first goal against Bournemouth in 2016. He suffered from injury for several months. Following his comeback, he was a key figure in City’s 2018 Premier League title win.
In 2018-19, Gundogan won the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and Premier League. City’s midfield is much more confident with Gundogan. So, Pep was looking for his first pick. Without a doubt, he is one of the best midfielders in football.
(Getty Images)
It was another successful year with the Premier League, Carabao Cup, and UEFA Champions League runners-up. With 17 goals, he led City in scoring in 2020–21.
In the 2021-22 season, Gundogan completed five years with Manchester City. He won the Premier League with ten goals and six assists this season. Gundogan is now filling the scoresheet and serving City in a disciplined manner.
Playing Style
- Being a versatile midfielder, Gundogan fits every central position of the midfield.
- For the low center of gravity, he easily beat the opponents. He controls the ball brilliantly, and his dribbling ability in the middle of the pitch makes him great.
- In the modern game, passing and ball-playing midfielders are assets of a team. Gundogan has all the abilities that give confidence to Pep.
- In addition to having dynamic passing accuracy, he is also an excellent holding midfielder.
- His decoy runs in the final third to create space, giving his teammates extra chances.
- He is a deep-down playmaker. With massive energy, he creates more chances and operates from mid-third to final third.
- From the defensive front, he doesn’t commit tackles easily.
Undoubtedly, we can call him one of the best midfielders in football. As a result, they listed him best midfielder in FIFA 19.
12. JORGINHO
- Date of birth – 20.12.1991
- Place of birth- Imbituba
- Position – Central Midfield (CM), Defensive Midfield (DM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club – Chelsea
- Nation- Italy
Early Career
One of the best midfielders in football, Jorginho, started his career with lots of struggles. In 1997, following his parent’s divorce, he moved to Italy with his mother.
He dealt with lots of poverty with mental agony, but ultimately it paid off. Jorginho started his youth career with Hellas Verona in 2007.
In 2010, he started his senior career. He played for AC Sambonifacese on an annual loan. After that, he returned to Hellas Verona and played until 2014.
Rafael Benitez, the manager of Napoli, was interested in signing him in 2014. Jorginho was on fire in the midfield under Maurizio Sarri’s coaching. He Played for Napoli for 4 years and won Supercoppa Italiana in 2014-15.
Jorginho has been representing Italy since 2016. In the 2018 summer, Jorginho left the club and joined Chelsea with Maurizio Sarri.
Recent Performances
This Italian midfielder Jorginho scored his debut goal against Huddersfield in the Premier League. He played 54 matches and scored two goals in the 2018-19 season.
Lampard handed him the vice-captaincy responsibility. This time his link-up play in the midfield stood out. In the 2019-20 season, he scored seven goals and two assists.
Throughout the season, Jorginho showcased his smooth passing and midfield supremacy. As a penalty taker for Chelsea in 2020-21, he scored eight goals and added two assists.
Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League for the second time, defeating arch-rival Manchester City. He has eight goals and two assists during the season.
Just like last year, Jorginho continued to score penalty goals. He scored nine goals and four assists in 2021-22. He was part of the team that won the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
Playing Style
- One of the best midfielders in football Jorginho dominates the midfield positions with his elegance and mobility.
- In possession, he can dictate the pace of play through quick passes and agile movements. He is a great dribbler and passer.
- He often plays as a center midfielder because of his work ethic, technique, football sense, capacity to break up possession, vision, and passing accuracy.
- As a defensive midfielder, he played as a deep-lying playmaker. His excellent ball-winning ability, interceptions, winning the second ball, and pressing his opponent made him reliable.
- He can beat his markers and link up play with his teammates in a tight space.
- Jorginho made his name for the spot kick and long passing ability.
As a player, he impresses the coach and fans with his playing style. He builds a massive fan following. We saw him as one of the best midfielders in FIFA 21.
11. LEON GORETZKA
- Date of birth – 06.02.1995
- Place of birth- Bochum
- Position – Central Midfield (CM), Right Midfield (RM), Attacking Midfield (AM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club – Bayern Munich
- Nation- Germany
Early Career
Leon had a deep desire to play professional football from an early age. He began a youth career with Werner SV 06 Bochum in 1999 at 4. He switched to VfL Bochum after two years.
At 17, he received the Fritz Walter Medal in gold, the top honor of German juvenile football. However, he chose Schalke 04 despite the attention of a European powerhouse club.
For the national team, he played in many age-level tournaments. In 2014, he played for the senior German squad. Leon played a match in the 2016 Olympics game.
Leon played for Schalke 04 for five years and scored 18 goals. In 2018, He joined Bayern Munich.
Recent Performances
One of the best midfielders, Leon, started his debut match against Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern won the DFL Super Cup. He scored his debut goal against VfB Stuttgart.
Leon scored nine goals and seven assists. He tasted the Bundesliga trophy for the first time and DFB Pokal in the same season.
In 2019-20, he scored six goals with nine assists in the Bundesliga. Leon played a brilliant performance in the Champions League. He played a pivotal role in Bayern midfield with Thiago and won the title for Bayern Munich.
In the 2020-21 UEFA Super cup, Leon scored in the 34 minutes helping the match reach the extra time, and ultimately Bayern won the Cup.
He scored eight goals with eight assists this season. Leon again won the Bundesliga title in 2021-22. In the midfield with Kimmich, he is solid.
Playing Style
- Leon is a typical box-to-box midfielder. He challenges his opponent and wins the ball.
- Leon is excellent with interceptions and second-ball winning. His well-timed tackles break the attacking moves.
- In most physical battles, he won because of his extreme physicality. As a result, in the aerial duels, he won most of it.
- As well as dealing with defensive duties, Leon has good positional sense and excellent attacking support.
- Leon proved an excellent passer because of his beautiful vision in the middle of the pitch and his efficient ball-controlling ability.
- He runs dangerously behind the attacker. His shooting zone is outside the 18-yard box.
- Leon is a great set-piece taker. Being a high work rate, Leon covers the whole pitch.
In the midfield, his solidity impacted Bayern Munich. He was one of the best midfielders in FIFA 19, 20, 21, and 22.
10. RODRI
- Date of birth – 22.06.1996
- Place of birth- Madrid
- Position – Central Midfield (CM), Defensive Midfield (DM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club -Manchester City
- Nation- Spain
Early Career
Rodri started his youth career with Rayo Majadahonda. Next year, he joined Atlético Madrid. Atlético Madrid’s management encouraged him to join FC Villarreal’s youth team because of a lack of physicality and performance. Rodri played for Spain in different age-based tournaments.
For Villarreal, he won the UEFA European under-19 Championship. He rejoined Atlético Madrid in 2018 as a player. Against rival Real Madrid in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup, he made his debut for Atlético Madrid.
In the 2019 summer transfer window, Premier League giant Manchester City brought him with a deal of five years.
Recent Performances
As a debutant for City, Rodri appeared in 52 matches across all competitions, scored four goals and two assists, and won the EFL Cup and FA Community Shield.
(Getty Images)
In 2020-21, the Spanish defensive midfielder made 53 appearances and scored two goals with five assists. One of the best midfielders in football, Rodri had a standout performance this time. City won the Premier League title with the EFL Cup and was runners-up in the UEFA Champions League.
Rodri made a solidity in midfield with goal-scoring ability. In 2021-22, he made 46 appearances with seven goals and two assists. Manchester City got the perfect replacement for Fernandinho. This time Manchester City won the Premier League title.
Playing Style
- Rodri is an outstanding defensive midfielder. He calmly handles all the pressure situations.
- He has an accurate long-pass ability and effortlessly breaches the opponent’s formation with his through passes to his teammates.
- Rodri always plays simple passes and builds the counterattacks after intercepting the opponent’s attacks.
- As a midfielder, he creates more spaces, and surprisingly, he plays well off the ball.
- He excellently stretched the pitch and played square passes.
- Using his physicality, Rodri pressures the attackers. He keeps his body between the players and the ball and snatches it.
- He covers most of the pitch and controls the games. In an aerial dual, he uses his height and wins most of the duals.
- He has magnificent intercepting skills and long-taking shots ability. At the defensive point, he has excellent well-time standing tackle ability.
For his elegant performance, he was one of the best midfielders in FIFA 21,22.
9. FRENKIE DE JONG
- Date of birth – 12.05.1997
- Place of birth- Arkel
- Position – Central Midfield (CM), Defensive Midfield (DM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club -FC Barcelona
- Nation- Netherland
Early Career
Frenkie de Jong grew up in a professional soccer family. He began his youth career with ASV Arkel. In 2004, he gave trials to Feyenoord and Willem II. After cracking both trails, he picked Willem II.
The ability to make the most difficult of situations seem effortless is one of Frankie’s many traits that evolved as a youth player for Willem II.
In 2015, he started his senior career with Willem II. In the same year, he signed a four-year contract with Ajax. He made significant contributions while playing for the reserve side of Ajax. We saw him progress to the senior team in 2016.
Frenkie represents the national team on various occasions. In 2019, Barcelona picked him up €85million.
Recent Performance
Frenkie enjoyed tremendous success at Ajax in the 2018-19 season and proved himself as one of the best midfielders in football. Ajax won two trophies for his watchful performances that year. In 2019-20, debut for the Catalan in La Liga against Athletic Bilbao.
He scored the first goal for Barcelona against Valencia CF. In the 42 appearances, he scored two goals and four assists for Barcelona.
At the time of Koeman, he spent more time on the field and scored seven goals and eight assists in 2020-21. He is more responsible in the middle of the pitch as a midfielder.
Barcelona won the Copa del Rey and was runners-up in the Supercopa de España. During the 2021-22 season, Frenkie scored four goals, provided five assists, and finished second in La Liga.
Playing Style
- Frenkie is a versatile ball-playing midfielder.
- He has excellent positional sense and build-up ability.
- The way Frenkie intercepts passes and reads the game, and stops the attacks is unusual for his style of play.
- With his awareness and ball-winning quality, he rescues the defense line.
- He has a grand vision and long-accurate passing abilities and distribution skills.
- As a midfielder, he has excellent dribbling skills, passing, and playmaking ability.
- With his dribbling, he creates space and passes accurately to his teammates from a narrow angle.
- He has significant agility and controls the gameplay intelligently.
Frankie quickly adopts the gameplay of Barsa. He plays a pivot role in the midfield. For his highest contribution, he is one of the best Midfielders in FIFA 19,21,22.
8. TONI KROOS
- Date of birth – 04.01.1990
- Place of birth- Greifswald
- Position – Central Midfield (CM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club -Real Madrid
- Nation- Germany
Early Career
Kroos was born into a professional sporting family. He had a passion for football since he was a youngster. Greifswalder Sporting Club was his first team as a youth. In 2002, he joined Hansa Rostock.
His hard work paid off when he joined Bayern Munich at 17. Kross scored his debut goal for Bayern Munich against Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Super Cup.
In 2009, he loaned to Bayer Leverkusen in an annual deal. After that, he returned to Munich. He represents Germany in various age-level tournaments.
In the 2014 Brazil World Cup, Kroos was a great assist provider and a player of the year. After the World Cup, he signed for Spanish giant Real Madrid.
Recent Performances
In 2019-20, Kroos was back with his excellent play. He was accurate and consistent in the center. Real Madrid won both La LIGA and the Supercopa de Espana. Kroos has six goals and nine assists this season.
One of the best midfielders in football, Kroos made 106 national team appearances and scored 17 goals. He announced his retirement from international football after losing to England in the round of 16 at EURO 2020.
As a Real Madrid player, Kroos scored three goals and delivered twelve assists, but they could not secure a title. In 2021-22, Real Madrid displayed their old glimpse.
Kroos played brilliantly in the Champions League, scoring two goals. Madrid beat Liverpool in the final as a unit and secured the trophy. Madrid won La Liga and Supercopa de España this time.
German midfielder Toni Kroos’ exclusion from the list of 30 Ballon d’Or finalists stunned Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Playing Style
- Kroos is a dynamic, versatile midfielder.
- He has excellent set-piece accuracy, like a snipper. His superb passing distribution and brilliant vision made him special.
- In the middle of the pitch, he circulates everywhere. He has excellent game reading quality.
- He uses his body to create space, dribbles his opponent, and makes a forward pass.
- His vertical ground pass smoothly eliminates the opponents, and his long-range shooting accuracy is brilliant.
- By stretching the midfield with long passes, Kroos created more opportunities.
- He can make killer passes to eliminate his opponent in the attacking third. In the middle of the pitch, his controlling power is superb.
- As a defensive midfielder, he covers the ball and uses his physicality to stop the attacks.
For his brilliant dominating skills in the midfield, we saw him as one of the best midfielders in FIFA 19,21.
7. Bruno Fernandes
- Date of birth – 08.09.1994
- Place of birth- Maia
- Position – Attacking Midfield (AM), Central Midfield (CM), Second Striker (SS)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club -Manchester United
- Nation- Portugal
Early Career
Fernandes began his youth career with the local club Infesta. In 2004, Fernandes got an offer from Porto, but he refused them and joined Boavista. Fernandes progressed through the ranks and mastered talents from Boavista.
In 2012, he moved to Novara. Next year, he started his senior career with Novara. After that, he found his boot in Italy and played for five years in the Italian club Udinese and Sampdoria.
In 2017, he returned to Portugal and joined Sporting CP. There he scored 39 goals in 83 games. Manchester United brought him €80 million in 2020 for his brilliant performance and for establishing himself as one of the best midfielders in football.
Recent Performances
Fernandes made his Red Devils debut in the Premier League against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He scored the first goal for the Red Devils against Watford from the penalty spot.
He received several club and Premier League awards, including Premier League Player of the Month and Goal of the Month in the same month.
In his debut season, he scored twenty-seven goals and twenty-two assists. Fernandes was at his best the following season. In the Europa League, he has nine goals and four assists.
Villarreal won the 2020-21 Europa League Cup after defeating the MANU in a penalty shootout. Fernandes was the season’s leading scorer.
In 2021-22, he started with a hat trick against Leeds United in the Premier League. After that, Fernandes made his 100th appearance against Arsenal and scored a goal to win over their rival.
Playing Style
- Bruno Fernandes is a versatile midfielder. He played between the defensive line to create space for his teammates.
- He plays the link-up game in the middle and finds scoring opportunities.
- Fernandes possesses beautiful passing and playmaking abilities in the middle of the field. He is a top-work-rated player.
- From the set piece moment, he is an excellent shot-taker. He has leadership qualities in the midfield and goal-scoring ability.
- Also essential is his mobility off the ball, as he frequently roams around attacking areas or dives deep to intercept passes.
- Fernandes always fights for the second ball and maintains ball possession.
Bruno Fernandes is a standout player for the Red Devils. We see him as one of the best midfielders in FIFA 21.
6. SERGEJ MILINKOVIC- SAVIC
- Date of birth -27.02.1995
- Place of birth- Lleida
- Position -Attacking Midfield (AM), Central Midfield (CM)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club -SS Lazio
- Nation- Serbia
Early Career
Sergej was born into a sports family. As a son of a former football and basketball player, sports were in his blood. Sergej began his youth career with Sporting CP.
In his youth, Sergej played like a storm, so fans liked it very much. He spent five years in the Austrian club Grazer AK. In 2006, he moved to the Serbian club Vojvodina. He was popular in the Vojvodina.
In 2013, he started a senior career with Vojvodina and scored three goals in 13 matches. At a Belgian football club, Genk, Sergej established himself as a complete midfielder. Sergej spent a year with Genk and joined Lazio in 2015. He represents the Serbian national team on various age-level occasions.
Recent Performances
One of the best midfielders in football, Sergej assisted against UC Sampdoria during the opening game of Serie A in 2019-20.
Sergej contributed to the Supercoppa Italiana of 2019 with an assist. Lazio won Supercoppa Italiana for the fifth time.
In the Euro 2020 qualifying play-off semi-final, Sergej scored his first two senior international goals in a 2–1 win over Norway. Sergej scored eight goals and eleven assists in 2020-21.
Sergej’s goal against Sampdoria on December 5, 2021, made him the highest-scoring midfielder in the history of Lazio. In 2021-22, Sergej made eleven goals and twelve assists in the season.
Playing Style
- Sergej plays multiple roles in the midfield. He is a box-to-box midfielder.
- He possesses a great first touch. It helps to get more possession and speed up the gameplay.
- In under-pressure conditions, he maintains ball control while escaping smoothly. Without the ball, his positioning sense and awareness are impressive.
- Sergej has excellent footwork, is technically sound, has superb vision, and can pass despite his slow speed.
- From the outside of the box, he possesses outstanding shooting. He can deliver a precise long pass to his teammates. Sergej is an excellent set-piece taker.
- He applies intense physical pressure, most of the time on the offensive third. In the aerial duel, he is very effective.
- In the defensive role, he makes a shield behind the backline.
With his playing style, he fit in the midfield of Lazio. We see him as one of the best midfielders in FIFA 21.
5. BERNARDO SILVA
- Date of birth -10.08.1994
- Place of birth- Lisboa
- Position -Attacking Midfield (AM), Central Midfield (CM), Right Winger (RW)
- Preferably foot- Left
- Club -Manchester City
- Nation- Portugal
Early Career
In 2002, Bernando joined Benfica as a young, talented player. He was very popular with his teammates for his performance and high IQ. In the youth system, he progresses brilliantly.
In a match against Trofense, he made his debut for Benfica B. His performance with Benfica B in the 2013-14 Segunda Liga season earned him the league’s Emerging Player of the Year award.
In 2013-14, he helped Benfica win the national triple. Bernando played for four years for Monaco and scored 84 goals. He was the top scorer for Monaco in 2015-16.
In 2016-17, he was a member of Monaco in the Coupe de la Ligue. Ahead of next season, he signed for Manchester City. Bernando played for Portugal in many age-level matches.
Recent Performances
One of the best midfielders in football, Bernando scored nine goals and had eleven assists in his debut season for Manchester City.
In addition to the Premier League, he won the Carabao Cup. Bernando assisted Portugal in reaching the World Cup round of 16 in 2018.
In 2018-19, he had thirteen goals and fourteen assists while also winning four awards. He appeared in 52 games and scored eight goals in 2019-20.
(Getty Images)
He has appeared in at least 50 games for Manchester City. Manchester City won the EFL Cup and the FA Community Shield this time.
In 2021/22, the popular midfielder enjoyed another excellent season. Bernardo has five goals and nine assists while winning two major titles.
He won the Premier League with thirteen goals and seven assists in 2021-22.
Playing Style
- Bernardo is a versatile creative playmaker. He is dominant in the midfield, busy with both attacking and defensive duty.
- Bernardo has excellent positional sense and is off the ball running. Inside the box, his cutting and finishing ability is superb.
- Because of his ability to reach the narrow gap, he makes crucial passes and sometimes scores on his own.
- With his world-class dribbling, Bernardo drags opponents toward him to create space and passes to his teammates. He also has excellent shooting accuracy and a one-touch finish.
- He combines exceptional ball movement and crossing skills. Technical ability, acceleration, agility, passing, vision, and dribbling skills make him stand out.
- His incredible work ethic allows him to cover more distance. He is a technically sound midfielder.
Bernardo swiftly adapted to Pep’s style and dominated the City midfield. We saw him be one of the best midfielders in FIFA 21.
4. JOSHUA KIMMICH
- Date of birth – 08.02.1995
- Place of birth- Rottweil
- Position -Defensive Midfield (DM), Central Midfield (CM), Right Back (RB)
- Preferably foot- Right
- Club -Bayern Munich
- Nation- Germany
Early Career
Kimmich grew up in Bosingen, a tiny village in Germany. There, football is oxygen for every boredom of a child. Playing football with his mates in the new park started a new chapter in Kimmich’s life.
As a result, his dreams of becoming a player were only a fleeting passion. Kimmich’s interest in football led him to join a local youth team. The scouter of Stuttgart marked and signed him while he was playing for the local team.
At the time of the VfB Stuttgart youth team, he developed his skills, playing shape on the field character. In a strange coincidence, his beloved former youth coach had since moved to RB Leipzig, where he wanted him.
Kimmich began his senior career with RB Leipzig. In 2015, Pep Guardiola liked his dominance in the field and signed him at Bayern. Kimmich played for Germany in many age-level tournaments.
Recent Performances
It wasn’t surprising that Kimmich played well in the 2019-20 season following a stellar 2018-19 campaign. During this period, Bayern Munich won three major trophies.
One of the best midfielders in football, Kimmich scored seven goals and had 17 assists for the season.
After leaving Thiago, he paired with Leon in the midfield. This time, he had six goals and 14 assists. Kimmich displayed solidity in the midfield and helped to win four trophies.
In 2021-22, Kimmich scored three goals and 12 assists. Bayern won nine consecutive Bundesliga trophies this time. On the other hand, they won the DFL Super Cup. It is clear from his performance he is one of the best midfielders in football.
Playing Style
- Kimmich is an intelligent and technically correct versatile midfielder.
- He is a deep-lying playmaker. Kimmich knows how to cover up the gap and when to mark the attacker.
- It is easy for him to regain control of the ball with his fast pace. In counterattacks, he tried to speed up and made assists.
- He has excellent overlapping power and pinpoints cross ability.
- In the midfield, Kimmich opens up space for teammates and, with his exceptional vision, uses long passes to eliminate opponents.
- Kimmich is active on the pressure in the middle of the pitch. He is an excellent passer in the middle.
- With the ball, he controls the game overall. Kimmich made time for standing tackles and interceptions as a defender.
Year after year, Kimmich improves himself. For his terrific performance, we saw one of the best midfielders in FIFA 19, 21.
3. NICOLO BARELLA
- Date of birth -07.02.1997
- Place of birth-Cagliari
- Position -Attacking Midfield (AM), Central Midfield (CM), Defensive Midfielder (DM)
- Preferably foot-Right
- Club -Inter Milan
- Nation- Italy
Early Career
Barella has always been interested in soccer. His father sent Barella to Gigi Riva Football School after discovering his passion for the game. He began his career with Cagliari in 2006 after gaining academic knowledge.
Barella spent eleven years in the Cagliari Youth Camp. He made his senior debut against Parma in 2015.
In January 2016, Cagliari loaned him to Como in Serie B, where Barella started the second half of the season as a starter. In 2017, he scored his first goal as a professional player in Serie A against SPAL.
Barella joined the senior team in 2018 after competing in several age-level events for the junior national team. Inter Milan signed Barella to an annual loan with an option to buy after the loan deal ended.
Recent Performances
In 2019-20, Barella was the regular starter for Inter Milan. Barella made a great composition in the midfield and helped Inter Milan to runners-up in the Europa League and Serie A.
He scored four goals and eight assists in the 2019-20 season.
Barella provided more stability in the next year. He scored three goals and 13 assists in the 46 games. Inter Milan won the Serie A title, and he was the standout performer.
In EURO 2020, Barella scored a goal and two assists for Italy and members of the champion team.
In 2021-22, he displayed a standout performance in Serie A. For Inter Milan, he scored four goals and thirteen assists in 48 appearances.
Playing Style
- Barella is a versatile box-to-box midfielder. He has leadership qualities.
- Being short stature, Barella is a dynamic player with excellent technique, vision, stamina, and strength. Barella also has ball-winning ability.
- He positions between the lines to receive the ball and uses his dribbling skills to speed up the ball to raise the threat to his opponents.
- In the defensive third, he intercepts the ball and makes a counterattack effectively.
- Because of his ball control ability, Barella holds the ball in the attacking third of the opponent, creating danger for them.
- He can score from a distance with shooting. From the set-piece situation, he can score.
Barella proved himself to be one of the best midfielders in the world. As a result, we saw him as one of the best midfielders in FIFA 21.
2. LUKA MODRIC
- Date of birth -09.09.1985
- Place of birth-Zadar
- Position -Attacking Midfield (AM), Central Midfield (CM)
- Preferably foot-Both
- Club -Real Madrid
- Nation- Croatia
Early Career
Modric’s first youth tryout was at the HNK Hajduk Split. Unluckily, the HNK Hajduk Split rejected him because of his physical attributes. Young Luka put all of his efforts into working hard.
He eventually dispelled the false notion that he was physically frail and undersized and joined Dinamo Zagreb in 2000. In the national team, he made superb knocks in various age-level tournaments.
As soon as he joined the team, Modric showed outstanding talent and confidence. In 2003, he made his senior debut with Dinamo Zagreb.
He took part in the 2003–04 season with Zrinjski Mostar on an annual loan agreement. He played on a yearly loan with the Croatian club Inter Zapresic the following year.
In 2008, Tottenham Hotspur signed him in the summer window from Dinamo Zagreb. Modric played for five years and scored thirteen goals in 127 matches. Modric moved to Real Madrid in 2012.
Recent Performances
Modric has already played for many years in Real Madrid. In the Real Madrid midfield, Modric, Kroos, and Casemiro were the best trio in the world.
Modric won many trophies for Real Madrid and is one of the star players in the midfield.
After spending a golden year in 2018, Modric scored five goals and eight assists in 2019-20. For the first time since the 2009–10 season, Real Madrid won no trophies in 2020-21. But this time, Modric scored six goals and six assists.
In 2021-22, Real Madrid showed their old aggressive performance and won three consecutive trophies. Modric scored three goals and twelve assists this time.
Playing Style
- Modric is a technically skilled creative midfielder. He controls the ball in the midfield.
- With his great passing ability, he breaks the defense line and passes to his teammates in a favorable position. His one-touch passes are deadly.
- He continuously distributes the ball to the flanks and plays the long ball. The playmaker has excellent finishing ability and is very dangerous outside of the box because of his playmaking ability.
- As an offensive player, Modric enjoys playing passes and dribbling under pressure. He is an excellent game reader and maintains the ball’s possessions.
- As a player who covers a lot of ground, Modric is an excellent help to the backline and slows down the game’s pace.
- He beautifully intercepts offensive moves, blocks shots, and acts as a defensive shield.
Modric is one of the world’s best midfielders. He was one of the best midfielders in FIFA 19,21.
1. KEVIN DE BRUYNE
- Date of birth -28.06.1991
- Place of birth-Drongen
- Position -Attacking Midfield (AM), Central Midfield (CM)
- Preferably foot-Right
- Club -Manchester City
- Nation- Belgium
Early Career
Kevin started playing football for his hometown team at a young age. He grew up as one of his early influences amid the terrible state of Belgian football.
Kevin joined Gent and started a pleasant journey. In 2005, he moved to Genk for a better future. In May 2009, Kevin made his debut at Genk after all his hard work paid off. He adopted the style and established himself in the team.
Chelsea signed him for £7 million in 2012. After that, Chelsea loaned him to Werder Bremen for an annual term. In 2014-15, Chelsea released Kevin to VfL Wolfsburg after returning to Chelsea.
After spending a year with VfL Wolfsburg, he scored 13 goals in 52 games.
In 2015, Manchester City signed Kevin for six years. Kevin made several appearances for the Belgium national team. He is an asset to the Belgium national team.
Recent Performances
Kevin is one of the best midfielders in City’s midfield. He has become a key player for Pep Guardiola because of his creativity and eye for defense-breaking passes.
The Belgian assists king had a standout 2019–20 campaign, making 48 appearances, scoring 16 goals and 23 assists. Manchester City won double trophies and PL second positions.
In 2019-20, Kevin won City Player of the Season, UEFA Midfielder of the Year, and PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
(Getty Images)
In 2020-21, he made 40 appearances and scored ten goals and 18 assists. This time the City won the PL trophy and EFL Cup and was runners-up in the UEFA Champions League.
Throughout the 2020–2022 campaign, he showed off his brilliance once more. He scored 19 goals and 14 assists in 45 games.
Playing Style
- Kevin is a complete footballer, considering his versatility and ability. He has leadership qualities.
- We know Kevin for his techniques, dribbling skills, positional sense, ball control, and tactical intelligence.
- Featuring excellent work rates, his late runs behind the defense lead to goals. He is very effective in counterattack movements.
- As the king of assists, he made passes and crosses from every angle on the pitch, even narrow spaces that split the defense and made assists.
- As a long-short scorer, Kevin is very dangerous in the final third. He is a great set-piece taker as well as a penalty taker.
- Kevin controls and sets the flow of the game as a playmaker. He presses his opponents at his best and regains his positions quickly.
- He links between the attack and defense and plays a double-pivot role.
He was one of the best midfielders in FIFA 21.
Last Words
In this list of my best midfielders, I have selected and ranked midfielders according to their recent form. Please share your opinion in the comment box regarding the best midfielders. If you love this, stay with Sports Dribble and its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter account.
Note: All the data collected from the Transfer market.
My name is Krishanu Das the founder of the Sports Dribble.
I am Accountant by profession but a Sports Blogger by passion.
I am passionate about sharing my all knowledge and experiences of sports, with my readers and every sports enthusiast.
