Highlights

  • Football has seen many incredible midfielders over the years, and there's constant debate as to who the absolute best is.
  • Different generations have witnessed some iconic stars playing at the peak of their careers, with the likes of Luka Modric, Zinedine Zidane and Andres Iniesta among the game's greatest.
  • GIVEMESPORT takes a look at the 30 greatest central midfielders of all-time, ranking them in five separate tiers to see who the best is.

There is always a big debate surrounding the greatest midfielders of all time, with many differing opinions among fans. It will always be a subjective matter - as is the case with almost everything in football - but certain factors can be taken into consideration. When trying to narrow down the greatest midfielders, which names come to mind?

We can think of a few suggestions: Zinedine Zidane, Andrea Pirlo, Xavi Hernandez, and Lothar Matthaus all seem like viable shouts. But then again, you could also put forward plenty of Premier League legends spearheaded by the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard - and even Kevin De Bruyne at this point.

It's relatively easy to go through and simply name the best. However, when it comes to actually sorting the finest of the lot, well, that's when things become challenging. Nevertheless, we here at GIVEMESPORT have decided to give it a go and have sorted 30 of the greatest central midfielders in recent history across five categories.

The first category and lowest of them all will be the 'world-class' section. Meanwhile, the best of the lot will officially be crowned the 'midfield GOAT'. Players must have played after 1990 to be considered.

Ranking factors

Given how incredibly difficult this list is, a number of ranking factors will be taken into account when it comes to deciding who goes into what tier. These include:

  • Personal awards (either the Ballon d'Or, World Player of the Year award, Golden Foot or a league's player of the season)
  • Major trophies won (only includes the two major European competitions, any league titles, the main domestic cup)
  • Impact and influence on the game
  • Importance to their team
  • Iconic moments

As a result, players who have won the Ballon d'Or or lifted the Champions League trophy in their time as a player will hold more weight over someone who hasn't, while those who delivered an iconic moment in an important game - think one Frenchman's stunning volley in a final for example - will be rewarded too. Now with that out of the way, here's our list of the 30 greatest central midfielders of all time.

'World-class'

Paul Pogba, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Fernandinho, Wesley Sneijder, Michael Essien

Paul Pogba

We'll start off strong with five leading central midfielders of their respective eras. Sure, Pogba has been known to be pretty hit-and-miss in his career, but when he's at it, boy is he good. The former Manchester United man is arguably talented enough to have finished in a higher category on this list with his passing range and all-round confidence something to be admired. Meanwhile, Fernandinho and Essien couldn't be classified any differently from the Frenchman. Both represent ultra-consistent and dependable holding midfielders.

'World-class' Tier - Honours

Player

Major Trophies

Major Individual Awards

Paul Pogba

World Cup, Serie A (x4), Europa League, Italian Cup (x2)

None

Bastian Schweinsteiger

World Cup, Champions League, Bundesliga (x8), Europa League, German Cup (x7), FA Cup

None

Fernandinho

Copa America, Premier League (x5), UEFA Cup, FA Cup, Ukrainian League (x7), Ukrainian Cup (x5)

Ukrainian Premier League's Best Player

Wesley Sneijder

Champions League, Serie A, La Liga, Italian Cup (x2), Eredivisie (x2), Dutch Cup (x2), Turkish League (x2), Turkish Cup (x2)

None

Michael Essien

Champions League, Premier League (x2), Ligue 1 (x2), FA Cup (x3)

Ligue 1 Player of the Year

Schweinsteiger was once a leading midfielder in Germany and an integral member of their national side. A massive number of minutes during the early years of the German's career with Bayern Munich meant his fall off came earlier than others yet to be discussed. As with Pogba, the ability was there for all to see but injury issues in Schweinsteiger's twilight years held him back slightly.

And what can be said about Sneijder? The Dutchman once said that he had all the talent to reach the heights of Lionel Messi, but that he enjoyed wine and the presence of good food too much. We would disagree with that statement, Wesley, but undoubtedly a world-class baller.

'World-class' Tier - Stats Comparison

Name

Country

Games played

Goals

Assists

Paul Pogba

France

423

73

92

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Germany

627

78

113

Fernandinho

Brazil

761

87

91

Wesley Sneijder

Netherlands

575

154

145

Michael Essien

Ghana

544

58

22

All stats from Transfermarkt - Correct as of 03/02/2024

'Legendary'

Xabi Alonso, Claude Makelele, Cesc Fabregas, Mesut Ozil, Frank Rijkaard, Toni Kroos, Sergio Busquets, Yaya Toure, Kaka, Juan Roman Riquelme

Cesc Fabregas

Alonso, Fabregas, and Kroos make up three of the finest passers of a football the world has ever seen, so it's no surprise they're all good enough for the 'legendary' category. The trio were all sensational when it came to keeping possession for their respective sides and were the best in the business at controlling games from the centre of the pitch. Kroos is still playing at an elite level for Real Madrid while Alonso is flying high as manager of Bayer Leverkusen. Fabregas is one of many legendary players to have retired in 2023.

Ozil and Riquelme weren't half bad at picking a pass either - we say in what is surely the understatement of the year. The creative midfielders were special for large swathes of their careers. Ozil has an abundance of assists to his name across his career, being one of the players with the most international assists in the 21st century. Riquelme is often overlooked and underrated in the modern day, but the Argentine was sublime to watch at the peak of his powers, and finds himself rightfully in the legendary category.

'Legendary' Tier - Honours

Player

Major Trophies

Major Individual Awards

Xabi Alonso

World Cup, EUROs (x2), Champions League (x2), Bundesliga (x3), La Liga, German Cup, FA Cup, Spanish Cup (x2)

None

Claude Makelele

Champions League, Premier League (x2), La Liga (x2), Ligue 1, FA Cup, French Cup

None

Cesc Fabregas

World Cup, EUROs (x2), Premier League (x2), La Liga, FA Cup (x2), Spanish Cup

None

Mesut Ozil

World Cup, La Liga, FA Cup (x4), German Cup, Spanish Cup

None

Frank Rijkaard

EUROs, Champions League, Serie A (x2), Eredivisie (x5), Dutch Cup (x3)

Serie A Player of the Year

Toni Kroos

World Cup, Champions League (x5), Bundesliga (x3), La Liga (x3), German Cup (x3), Spanish Cup

None

Sergio Busquets

World Cup, EUROs, Champions League (x3), La Liga (x9), Spanish Cup (x7)

None

Yaya Toure

AFCON, Champions League, Premier League (x3), Spanish Cup (x2), FA Cup, Spanish Cup, Greek League, Greek Cup

None

Kaka

World Cup, Champions League, La Liga, Serie A, Spanish Cup

Ballon d'Or, FIFA World Player of the Year, Serie A Player of the Year (x2)

Juan Roman Riquelme

Copa Libertadores (x3), Argentinian League (x5), Argentinian Cup

None

Although none of the above players can lay claim to lifting the Ballon d'Or the same way Kaka can. The Brazilian lifted the coveted trophy in 2007, just before the Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era set in. He goes down as one of Brazil's greatest-ever players after playing a starring role in the dominant AC Milan team of the 2000s.

The remaining midfielders: Makelele, Rijkaard, Busquets, and Toure prove four of the most powerful presences we've ever seen in the middle of the park. All four men have different attributes that make them legendary; however, with Toure being a powerful force that couldn't be stopped when he got into full flow, while Busquets at his best was a cultured midfielder who had an unmatched sense of space and intelligence to give himself an edge over opponents.

'Legendary' Tier - Stats Comparison

Name

Country

Games played

Goals

Assists

Xabi Alonso

Spain

695

43

69

Claude Makelele

France

807

24

28

Cesc Fabregas

Spain

737

125

214

Mesut Ozil

Germany

642

114

222

Frank Rijkaard

Netherlands

545

97

54

Toni Kroos

Germany

734

73

163

Sergio Busquets

Spain

744

18

47

Yaya Toure

Ivory Coast

626

103

70

Kaka

Brazil

551

177

147

Juan Roman Riquelme

Argentina

464

127

103

All stats from Transfermarkt - Correct as of 03/02/2024

'Icons of the sport'

Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Clarence Seedorf, Luka Modric, Kevin De Bruyne, N'Golo Kante, Patrick Vieira, Lothar Matthaus, Michael Laudrup

Kevin De Bruyne in action for Manchester City

And now for the most stacked category of all. The 'icons of the sport' section is actually full of Premier League legends, which is a testament to the extremely high level of central midfielders England's top flight has boasted over the years.

Gerrard, Lampard, and Scholes all find their home in this category - and no, we won't pick between them. All three English midfielders have certain advantages over the others with Lampard being the better goalscorer and finisher of the trio. Gerrard was a more all-action figure that dragged a team of lower quality through some difficult times, while Scholes dictated play almost at ease in the middle of the park for the best team in Premier League history with an unrivaled technical ability and passing range.

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Old rivals Keane and Vieira also make it into this category. When discussing the best defensive midfielders in Premier League history, the pair will likely be brought up instantly. The number of times the two battling midfielders went to war on the pitch is ridiculous with neither man getting the better of the other on too many occasions. Vieira was closer to the aforementioned Toure in playing style with his driving runs from the middle of the park being devastating for opponents. Keane was an underrated passer of the ball, and everyone knows how fond the Irishman was of throwing in some 'solid' tackles, to say the least.

Even De Bruyne and Kante make the grade, having been world-leading players throughout the modern era of football. The latter won back-to-back Premier League titles including that fairytale season with Leicester City as he was able to transform two separate sides. His time at Stamford Bridge cemented the 2018 World Cup winner's place as an iconic figure in the game after some out-of-this-world performances in the engine room. De Bruyne is up there with the very best technicians we have ever seen in world football and would hold his own with anyone in that regard. Left foot, right foot - it doesn't matter for the majestic Belgian playmaker as he has consistently served chances on a plate for Manchester City and Belgium forwards over the years.

'Icons of the Sport' - Honours

Player

Major Trophies

Major Individual Awards

Andrea Pirlo

World Cup, Champions League (x2), Serie A (x6), Italian Cup (x2)

None

Frank Lampard

Champions League, Premier League (x3), FA Cup (x4),

Premier League Player of the Season

Steven Gerrard

Champions League, UEFA Cup, FA Cup (x2)

None

Paul Scholes

Champions League (x2), Premier League (x11), FA Cup (x4)

None

Roy Keane

Champions League, Premier League (x7), FA Cup (x4)

None

Clarence Seedorf

Champions League (x5), Serie A (x2), La Liga (x1), Italian Cup, Eredivisie (x2)

None

Luka Modric

Champions League (x5), Serie A (x3), Spanish Cup (x2), Croatian League (x3), Croatian Cup (x2)

Ballon d'Or, Best FIFA Men's Player of the Year, Golden Foot

Kevin De Bruyne

Champions League, Premier League (x5), FA Cup (x2), German Cup, Belgian League, Belgian Cup

Bundesliga Player of the Year, Premier League Player of the Season (x2)

N'Golo Kante

World Cup, Champions League, Premier League (x2), Europa League, FA Cup

Premier League Player of the Season

Patrick Vieira

World Cup, EUROs, Premier League (x3), Serie A (x5), FA Cup (x5), Italian Cup

Premier League Player of the Season

Lothar Matthaus

World Cup, EUROs, Bundesliga (x7), Serie A, UEFA Cup (x2), German Cup (x3)

Ballon d'Or, FIFA World Player of the Year

Michael Laudrup

La Liga (x5), Serie A, Spanish Cup, Eredivisie, Dutch Cup

None

We also have plenty of European class brought courtesy of Pirlo and Modric. Both legends excelled in the game despite their less physical nature, championing purely through footballing ability and a lightning-quick brain. Modric broke up the Messi and Ronaldo era in the Ballon d'Or with his performances for Croatia at the 2018 World Cup - in which his side finished as runners-up - leading to him being awarded the biggest individual prize on the planet.

Whereas Seedorf and Matthaus were mainstays at the highest level for what seemed like an eternity. Seedorf remains to this day the only player to lift the Champions League with three separate clubs. With the players being taken into consideration from 1990 onwards, it is brilliant news for Matthaus that he won the Ballon d'Or that very year. Laudrup played fore some of the biggest clubs in Europe including La Liga rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona, with the big attacking midfielder shining in both environments.

'Icons of the Sport' Tier - Stats Comparison

Name

Country

Games played

Goals

Assists

Andrea Pirlo

Italy

756

73

133

Frank Lampard

England

896

268

171

Steven Gerrard

England

749

191

172

Paul Scholes

England

716

155

82

Roy Keane

Republic of Ireland

612

77

44

Clarence Seedorf

Netherlands

870

128

126

Luka Modric

Croatia

753

80

129

Kevin de Bruyne

Belgium

591

144

241

N'Golo Kante

France

454

26

33

Patrick Vieira

France

650

56

72

Lothar Matthaus

Germany

785

204

63

Michael Laudrup

Denmark

562

131

39

All stats from Transfermarkt - Correct as of 03/02/2024

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'Nearly GOATs'

Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez

Andres Iniesta

The iconic Barcelona duo were trailblazers throughout the 21st century, combing beautifully with Messi to guide the great club to glory time and time again. They also enjoyed unprecedented success with the Spanish national team lifting two European Championships consecutively, with a World Cup sandwiched in between.

Xavi and Iniesta - Honours

Player

Major Trophies

Major Individual Awards

Xavi

World Cup, EUROs (x2), Champions League (x4), La Liga (x8), Spanish Cup (x3), Qatari League

None

Andres Iniesta

World Cup, EUROS (x2), Champions League (x4), La Liga (x9), Spanish Cup (x6), Japanese League, Japanese Cup

Golden Foot

Iniesta scored a dramatic winner in extra-time of the 2010 World Cup tournament in South Africa to lead his side to international glory. Xavi was the controller in the middle of the pitch, almost like a conductor with his Barcelona teammates being the choir. His passing range and choice was a thing of beauty and is unlikely to be matched to the same level.

Xavi and Iniesta - Stats comparison

Name

Games played

Goals

Assists

Xavi

864

108

215

Andres Iniesta

867

90

162

All stats from Transfermarkt - Correct as of 03/02/2024

'Midfield GOAT'

Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane looks on

But when it comes to the 'Midfield GOAT' there can only be one and that right is reserved for one very special baller. The Frenchman was more of an artist than an athlete, gracefully gliding about the pitch in a seemingly gravity-defying manner when you consider his lanky 6ft, 2in frame.

Zidane won everything there was to win in the game, both individually and with his teams. He even scored two winning goals in the World Cup final against Brazil, as well as arguably the greatest Champions League goal of all-time in the final vs Bayer Leverkusen. The ultimate big game player, there was no stage he wouldn't thrive on. Ladies and gentlemen, your midfield GOAT.

Zinedine Zidane's Career Achievements

Real Madrid stats

Number/Accolade

Games played

689

Goals

125

Assists

141

Major trophies won

World Cup, EUROs, Champions League, Serie A (x2), La Liga

Major individual honours

Ballon d'Or, FIFA World Player of the Year (x3), Serie A Footballer of the Year, Ligue 1 Player of the Year

All stats from Transfermarkt - Correct as of 03/02/2024