In the symphony of football, midfielders are the conductors, orchestrating plays, and dictating the game‘s rhythm. Join us on a thrilling journey as we unveil the Top 10 Best Football Midfielders, celebrating their artistry and impact on the grand stage.
The midfield is said to be the most crucial element of a football team. A fully functioning engine room (team or club) needs players who can protect the defense from opposition attacks, retain possession, create chances, and chip in with goals.
What this means is that there is no single template for a midfielder as they come in all shapes and sizes. You can have big men in the middle breaking up play, box-to-box runners who get involved at both ends of the pitch, and pint-sized playmakers who have the magic touch.
With that in mind, it’s a tough task trying to narrow down different types of players into a list of the world’s best midfielders, but the naijabullet team has compiled a list of the top 10 best football midfielders based on long-term success and the current level of ability.
Now, let’s get started with the list…
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Summary of the Best Midfielders in the World
Here is a summary table of the best midfielders in the world, their teams, and overall rating.
| Ranking | Name | Current club | Overall rating |
| 1 | Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | 91 |
| 2 | Casemiro | Manchester United | 89 |
| 3 | Toni Kroos | Real Madrid | 88 |
| 4 | Luka Modrić | Real Madrid | 88 |
| 5 | Joshua Kimmich | Bayern Munich | 88 |
| 6 | Frenkie de Jong | Barcelona | 87 |
| 7 | Leon Goretzka | Bayern Munich | 87 |
| 8 | Marco Verratti | Al-Arabi | 87 |
| 9 | Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool | 86 |
| 10 | Nicolò Barella | Inter Milan | 86 |
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Top 10 Best Football Midfielders in 2024/2025
Here is a list of the top 10 best football midfielders and their details;
#1. Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne’s vision and precision make him a midfield virtuoso. His ability to control the game’s tempo and create scoring opportunities elevates him to the pinnacle of midfield excellence.
Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England. Photo: Alex Livesey
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Kevin De Bruyne
- Date of birth: 28 June 1991
- Age: 32 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Drongen, Ghent, Belgium
- Nationality: Belgian
- Height: 1.81m
- Club: Manchester City
- Overall rating: 91
Kevin De Bruyne tops the list of best midfielders of all time. The Belgium and Manchester City star is considered the best-attacking midfielder in world football.
Did you know Kevin De Bruyne is the only player besides Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry to have won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award back to back?
#2. Casemiro – Manchester United
- Full name: Carlos Henrique Casimiro
- Date of birth: 23 February 1992
- Age: 31 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: São José dos Campos, State of São Paulo, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Height: 1.85 m
- Club: Manchester United
- Overall rating: 89
Casimiro’s full name is Carlos Henrique Casimiro. The defensive midfielder plays for Premier League club Manchester United and captains the Brazil national team. He is a physically strong, intelligent, mobile, hard-tackling, and aggressive player.
#3. Toni Kroos – Real Madrid
- Full name: Toni Kroos
- Date of birth: 4 January 1990
- Age: 33 years old (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Greifswald, Germany
- Nationality: Germany
- Height: 1.83 m
- Club: Real Madrid
- Overall rating: 88
Toni has mostly played as a central midfielder in his career, but he has also been used as a deep-lying playmaker. He is well-known for his vision, passing, creativity, crossing, and set-piece ability. Toni Kroos was selected to the squad for the UEFA Euro 2020.
#4. Luka Modrić – Real Madrid
He’s in the twilight years of his career but 2018 Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric is still a class act in the engine room thanks to his inch-perfect passing.
A driving force behind Real Madrid’s success since switching from Spurs in 2012, Modric has lifted the Champions League on five occasions with Los Blancos.
- Full name: Luka Modric
- Nickname: Cruyff of the Balkans
- Date of birth: 9 September 1985
- Age: 38 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Zadar
- Nationality: Croatian
- Height: 1.72 m
- Club: Real Madrid
- Overall rating: 88
The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner is undoubtedly one of the most talented players of his generation. Modric can play in the central, attacking, and defensive midfield positions. The Real Madrid playmaker is also regarded as the most outstanding Croatian footballer in history.
#5. Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich
One of the bargain buys of the century – Bayern Munich handed RB Leipzig €7 million for his signature in 2015 – Kimmich has won 12 major trophies at club level including the 2019/20 Champions League.
- Full name: Joshua Walter Kimmich
- Date of birth: 8 February 1995
- Age: 28 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Rottweil, Germany
- Nationality: German
- Height: 1.77 m
- Club: Bayern Munich
- Overall rating: 88
Joshua Kimmich is a German professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or right-back at Bayern Munich and the German national team.
He is regarded as one of the best midfielders globally. Joshua Kimmich is known for his aggression, versatility, and playmaking ability.
#6. Frenkie de Jong – Barcelona
While his Barcelona career has been anything but smooth, Frenkie de Jong seems to have enjoyed a bit of fresh air after he snubbed a move away from Camp Nou in the summer.
A monstrous player on the ball, known for his outstanding ball progression and carrying ability, popularly known as FDJ, the 26-year-old Dutchman has shown this season why Manchester United is ready to break the bank for him.
- Full name: Frenkie de Jong
- Date of birth: 12 May 1997
- Age: 26 years (as of February 2022)
- Place of birth: Arkel, Netherlands
- Nationality: Dutch
- Height: 1.80m
- Club: Barcelona
- Overall rating: 87
Frenkie de Jong, who plays for Barcelona, is a box-box midfielder known for his vision, passing, and dribbling techniques.
De Jong has collected several individual awards, including the 2018/19 UEFA Midfielder of the Season. He is regarded as one of Barcelona’s best midfielders in the world.
#7. Leon Goretzka – Bayern Munich
- Full name: Leon Christoph Goretzka
- Date of birth: 6 February 1995
- Age: 28 years old (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Bochum, Germany
- Nationality: German
- Height: 1.89 m
- Club: Bayern München/ Bayern Munich
- Overall rating: 87
Goretzka is one of the best central defenders in the Bundesliga. His career began at the age of four with Werner SV 06 Bochum, where he played and trained from 1999 to 2000, and then at VfL Bochum. Leon is regarded as one of Germany’s most promising players.
#8. Marco Verratti – Al-Arabi
- Full name: Marco Verratti
- Date of birth: 5 November 1992
- Age: 30 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Pescara, Italy
- Nationality: Italian
- Height: 1.65 m
- Club: Al-Arabi
- Overall rating: 87
Marco Veratti is a creative and technically gifted player with quick dribbling skills. Veratti guided Italy to their second European Championship title in July 2021. He joined Al-Arabi in September 2023.
#9. Trent Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool
- Full name: Trent John Alexander-Arnold
- Date of birth: 7 October 1998
- Age: 25 years old (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: West Derby, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Nationality: English
- Height: 1.75 m
- Club: Liverpool
- Overall rating: 86
Trent began playing football at a young age, and his talent has helped him gain international recognition. Trent is regarded as one of the best full-backs in the world due to his wide range of passing, crossing, and assists.
#10. Nicolò Barella – Inter Milan
Since he joined Inter, initially on loan, three years ago from Cagliari, the now 26-year-old has become a recognizable superstar while leading Inter to the Serie A title last season.
Barella has contributed 11 goals in 26 league matches for Inter, including taking the club to the quarterfinal of the Champions League.
- Full name: Nicolò Barella
- Date of birth: 7 February 1997
- Age: 26 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Cagliari, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Height: 1.72 m
- Club: Inter Milan
- Overall rating: 86
Barella is an Italian professional footballer known for his strong personality, leadership abilities, and winning attitude.
In 2012 and 2013, he was named the best young Italian player. Nicolò Barella is often recognized as one of the best midfielders in Europe.
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FAQs
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Summary
There you have it, the Top 10 Best Football Midfielders in 2023/2024. It is said that the best midfielders in the world are known for their power, strength, aggressiveness, and intelligence on the field.
These players we’ve listed above have boosted the overall performance of the clubs they are signed with. If you think otherwise, let us know in the comment section.
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