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| Top 10 best central midfielders of all time |
Top 10 central midfielders in history
- Who is the best midfielder in history?
The positions in the game have changed throughout the ages, and it has become difficult to determine the exact role of the player across the three lines. For example, defensive midfielders will be excluded because we have previously dedicated a full article to them as mentioned above. Playmakers and wingers will also be excluded, and we focus on players who have played most of their careers connecting defense and attack. Now, here is a list of the top 10 box-to-box midfielders in history.
Before that, we advise you to read:
Top 10 best defensive midfielders in history
Best central midfielders of all time
Football, requires physical strength and high technical skills, in addition to awareness and tactical intelligence on the field.Many stars have emerged in this position over the years due to their defensive toughness, offensive power, and high physical effort, which help them perform all these important roles.
However, with the current evolution of playing styles in football, the need for this position has become very minimal, as teams no longer require players with high physical effort to a great extent.
What does a midfielder do in soccer?
A midfielder in football is one of the positions in the football formation, responsible for linking the defense and the attack. The midfielder can be a withdrawn or advanced player or play in the center of the field. In modern times, the midfielder has become one of the most important players in terms of connecting the defense and the attack, providing passes to the forwards, and assisting the defense as well.The midfield line is considered one of the most important positions in football, with diverse roles including defensive positions like the pivot, offensive positions like the playmaker, and positions on the wings. Some general qualities that a midfielder should have include accuracy in passing to the forwards and strong and precise shooting. Defensive midfielders should excel in smoothly intercepting balls and transferring them to the attacking side of their team, as well as having physical strength and powerful shooting. As for midfielders playing on the wings, they should be fast and possess accurate and decisive passes, as well as providing crosses that the forwards can benefit from. They should also have the ability to dribble. As for the playmaker, some important attributes that they should have include fast and accurate passing, powerful shooting, and good ball control.
As for the commonly used numbers for these positions, they are 6, 8, 15, and 7.
Top 10 central midfielders of all time
10- Michael Ballack (Germany).png "Michael Ballack (Germany)") |
| Michael Ballack (Germany) |
Without bad luck, Ballack would have undoubtedly been at the top of this list. The German player lost most of the finals he played in his career, including the 2002 World Cup final, the 2008 European Nations Cup, and the 2002 and 2008 UEFA Champions League finals. Imagine if he had won all these championships, he would certainly be ranked as the best midfielder in history.
But losing is part of the world of football, just as Ballack lost, other stars also lost important titles. Despite this, the former captain of the German national team is considered one of the best midfielders of all time due to his sharp intelligence in organizing the game and leading the team, with powerful shots from his feet that rarely missed the net.
9- Luka Modrić (Croatia)
But losing is part of the world of football, just as Ballack lost, other stars also lost important titles. Despite this, the former captain of the German national team is considered one of the best midfielders of all time due to his sharp intelligence in organizing the game and leading the team, with powerful shots from his feet that rarely missed the net.
9- Luka Modrić (Croatia)
.png "Luka Modrić (Croatia)") |
| Luka Modrić (Croatia) |
Luka Modrić is one of the best midfielders in the world during the 21st century. At the beginning of his career with Dinamo Zagreb, he won three consecutive titles in the Croatian league before moving to Tottenham and showcasing his magic on the field, which led Real Madrid to sign him in 2012.
Modrić became a key midfielder for the Merengues during their glorious era, winning four UEFA Champions League titles. Despite his small stature, he is known for his excellent vision and ability to change the course of the game with his brilliant passes. He is also capable of playing with both feet.
He is a creative central midfielder who has delivered an extraordinary performance even as he has advanced in age. He has proven that age is just a number, and no one can deny the Croatian prince's rightful claim to the 2018 FIFA Best Player Award after leading his national team to the final.
8- Steven Gerrard (England)
Modrić became a key midfielder for the Merengues during their glorious era, winning four UEFA Champions League titles. Despite his small stature, he is known for his excellent vision and ability to change the course of the game with his brilliant passes. He is also capable of playing with both feet.
He is a creative central midfielder who has delivered an extraordinary performance even as he has advanced in age. He has proven that age is just a number, and no one can deny the Croatian prince's rightful claim to the 2018 FIFA Best Player Award after leading his national team to the final.
8- Steven Gerrard (England)
.png "Steven Gerrard (England)") |
| Steven Gerrard (England) |
Anyone who doesn't understand football would think that Steven Gerrard is a failed player if they look at his record, which lacks numerous titles, whether with the English national team or with Liverpool, where he only won the UEFA Champions League in 2005. If we compare him to other legends, we will find that he doesn't possess the titles and cups that would allow him to compete with them.
However, if we look deeper, we will realize the immense value of the effort Gerrard made on the field, and the extent of his commitment and diverse skills that enabled him to score goals in various ways, especially from long distances. He also mastered playing in several positions, to the point where he was used as a second striker at the beginning of his career. Additionally, he possesses notable defensive skills.
7- Frank Lampard (England)
However, if we look deeper, we will realize the immense value of the effort Gerrard made on the field, and the extent of his commitment and diverse skills that enabled him to score goals in various ways, especially from long distances. He also mastered playing in several positions, to the point where he was used as a second striker at the beginning of his career. Additionally, he possesses notable defensive skills.
7- Frank Lampard (England)
.png "Frank Lampard (England)") |
| Frank Lampard (England) |
Between 2005 and 2010, Frank Lampard scored 20 or more goals in all competitions, which is a great achievement for a midfielder. He is also Chelsea's all-time leading scorer and ranks among the top ten all-time scorers in the English Premier League.
Simply put, Lampard is the midfield player that any coach dreams of having in their team. He can play in any position assigned to him and excel in it. With his high endurance, he can perform multiple roles in a single match.
6- Johan Neeskens (Netherlands)
Simply put, Lampard is the midfield player that any coach dreams of having in their team. He can play in any position assigned to him and excel in it. With his high endurance, he can perform multiple roles in a single match.
6- Johan Neeskens (Netherlands)
.png "Johan Neeskens (Netherlands)") |
| Johan Neeskens (Netherlands) |
Johan Neeskens II is considered the best central midfielder in the 1970s and is known as the main partner of the legend Johan Cruyff in Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, and the Dutch national team.
Neeskens is considered an ideal embodiment of Dutch total football, capable of accurate passing, winning the ball from opponents, and creating and scoring goals as well. However, the player tasted the bitterness of losing in the finals of the 1974 and 1978 World Cups.
In any case, without Cruyff, he would not have been the legendary star of the Netherlands. As Neeskens once stated, "I don't mind being the second-best player in the world after Cruyff."
5- Paul Scholes (England)
Neeskens is considered an ideal embodiment of Dutch total football, capable of accurate passing, winning the ball from opponents, and creating and scoring goals as well. However, the player tasted the bitterness of losing in the finals of the 1974 and 1978 World Cups.
In any case, without Cruyff, he would not have been the legendary star of the Netherlands. As Neeskens once stated, "I don't mind being the second-best player in the world after Cruyff."
5- Paul Scholes (England)
.png "Paul Scholes (England)") |
| Paul Scholes (England) |
Pelé said about him: "If he played with me, I would have scored more goals." Chicharito Hernandez also considers him a role model. Zinedine Zidane described him as a complete midfielder and the toughest opponent he ever faced.
This praise and more from other legends is not strange, as Paul Scholes speaks for himself. He is one of the few players who can pass both on the ground and in the air.
He played for two full decades at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson and won 11 English League titles and two UEFA Champions League titles. What sets him apart is his powerful long-range shots and his ability to alternate between defensive and offensive duties.
4- Andrea Pirlo (Italy)
This praise and more from other legends is not strange, as Paul Scholes speaks for himself. He is one of the few players who can pass both on the ground and in the air.
He played for two full decades at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson and won 11 English League titles and two UEFA Champions League titles. What sets him apart is his powerful long-range shots and his ability to alternate between defensive and offensive duties.
4- Andrea Pirlo (Italy)
.png "Andrea Pirlo (Italy)") |
| Andrea Pirlo (Italy) |
Pirlo's free transfer from AC Milan to Juventus in the summer of 2011 led to the dominance of the Juventus team in Italian football for several consecutive years.
One of the standout qualities of the stylish star is his complete calmness, as he stated that on the day of the 2006 World Cup final, he spent the day sleeping and playing PlayStation without feeling any pressure.
Pirlo can organize any midfield he plays with, being the jewel that shone through a great golden generation at AC Milan and later at Juventus, as well as a strong Italian national team that won the World Cup and reached the Euro final with them one day.
The heartbeat of Barcelona and the Spanish national team in their prime, Iniesta is the embodiment of the genius of tiki-taka. With his strong control over the ball and exceptional ability to dribble and penetrate spaces, we can say that Iniesta is one of the best players in the history of football in general.
His magician-like skills led Barcelona to win two different trebles in 2009 and 2015, and Spain also won three major titles. He is one of the few players who are respected by almost all competitors. As Rakitic once said, "If you don't love Iniesta, you don't love football."
2- Xavi Hernandez (Spain)
One of the standout qualities of the stylish star is his complete calmness, as he stated that on the day of the 2006 World Cup final, he spent the day sleeping and playing PlayStation without feeling any pressure.
Pirlo can organize any midfield he plays with, being the jewel that shone through a great golden generation at AC Milan and later at Juventus, as well as a strong Italian national team that won the World Cup and reached the Euro final with them one day.
3- Andres Iniesta (Spain)
.png "Andres Iniesta (Spain)") |
| Andres Iniesta (Spain) |
His magician-like skills led Barcelona to win two different trebles in 2009 and 2015, and Spain also won three major titles. He is one of the few players who are respected by almost all competitors. As Rakitic once said, "If you don't love Iniesta, you don't love football."
2- Xavi Hernandez (Spain)
.png "Xavi Hernandez (Spain)") |
| Xavi Hernandez (Spain) |
The iconic midfielder Xavi Hernandez, his ability to control the pace of the game, and his vision of the field were extremely impressive and perplexing even to the greatest coaches and legends.
His long-range passes were like lethal bullets through the defensive lines, creating over 200 goals in his career despite his deep position on the field. He also excelled in his short passes that connected different lines on the field.
It is rare to find a humble player like the "Blue Pigeon" considering the immense potential he possesses.
1- Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
His long-range passes were like lethal bullets through the defensive lines, creating over 200 goals in his career despite his deep position on the field. He also excelled in his short passes that connected different lines on the field.
It is rare to find a humble player like the "Blue Pigeon" considering the immense potential he possesses.
1- Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
.png "Lothar Matthäus (Germany)") |
| Lothar Matthäus (Germany) |
is considered by Diego Maradona to be his greatest-ever competitor. The Superman of German football is the best midfielder in history, having enjoyed a long and successful career. Starting with his victory in the 1980 UEFA European Championship at the age of nineteen, Matthäus showcased his amazing skills with Borussia Mönchengladbach, swiftly moving on to Bayern Munich and then Inter Milan, where he brought the Scudetto to the Giuseppe Meazza crowd after approximately 9 seasons.
Matthäus was the main driving force behind Germany's victory in the 1990 World Cup, scoring 4 goals in the tournament. This led him to be awarded the Ballon d'Or in the same year. He is known for playing in a style similar to Franz Beckenbauer.
Matthäus was the main driving force behind Germany's victory in the 1990 World Cup, scoring 4 goals in the tournament. This led him to be awarded the Ballon d'Or in the same year. He is known for playing in a style similar to Franz Beckenbauer.
