20 Best Midfielders in the World Ranked (2025

It’s often said that whichever football team wins the battle of the midfield, tends to win the game. Whether it’s a holding midfielder who can shut down the opposition attack, an attacking one who can chip in with goals and assists, or a box-to-box player who can do both sides well effectively, they are usually the key to how a match pans out.

 

With that in mind, below are the 20 best midfielders in the world ranked in order, and the level of talent is off the scale. The following factors have been taken into consideration when forming these rankings, with players such as Jude Bellingham and Bruno Fernandes featuring.

It’s often said that whichever football team wins the battle of the midfield, tends to win the game. Whether it’s a holding midfielder who can shut down the opposition attack, an attacking one who can chip in with goals and assists, or a box-to-box player who can do both sides well effectively, they are usually the key to how a match pans out.

 

With that in mind, below are the 20 best midfielders in the world ranked in order, and the level of talent is off the scale. The following factors have been taken into consideration when forming these rankings, with players such as Jude Bellingham and Bruno Fernandes featuring.

 

Ranking Factors

 

Recent Form

 

Recent Individual Honours

 

Recent Team Trophies

 

Importance to Team (Club)

 

Importance to National Team

 

The Role Played in Respective Teams

 

Best Midfielders in the world image gallery

 

20Joshua Kimmich

 

Bayern Munich and Germany

 

 

Joshua Kimmich brings leadership and a no-nonsense attitude to Bayern Munich, making him a vital cog in the machine at the Allianz Arena. Utilised either as a right-back or a holding midfielder, the German international is excellent in both roles, although Vincent Kompany has opted to play him in the engine room since taking the managerial post.

 

Racking up over 430 appearances for the Bavarian giants proves how important he has been since arriving at the club from Stuttgart in 2015, but his versatility for both club and country limits how high he can rank among out-and-out midfielders in this list.

 

19Aurelien Tchouameni

 

Real Madrid and France

 

Aurelien Tchouameni with the Champions League trophy

 

Aurelien Tchouameni only just nudges ahead of his club and international colleague Camavinga in these rankings, partly due to the fact he has been trusted in the middle of the park more often. Didier Deschamps has yet to fully show faith in Camavinga for Les Bleus, but managers at club level have placed his trust in the former Monaco star time and time again.

 

He is increasingly asserting himself as an important player in Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid team, having gone from strength to strength since playing a big part in an extremely successful 2023/24 season. Tchouameni is more of a destroyer than his aforementioned compatriot, but he’s also more than capable in possession of the ball. The dirty work he does goes unnoticed, but supporters are well aware of his passing ability and tendency to drive forward powerfully with the ball.

 

18Kevin De Bruyne

 

Napoli and Belgium

 

 

 

While Kevin De Bruyne might have his injury problems, there’s no denying that when he’s fit and firing, he’s among the best players in the world, let alone just for his position. The Belgium star has been an absolute magician in his time at Manchester City in the Premier League, and any season where he isn’t leading or close to leading the assists charts is a massive shock.

 

The playmaker has consistently been the best player on the best team in England over these past few years, and even for a well-oiled machine like Pep Guardiola’s side. However, the fact he no longer plies his trade in England proves that his time at the top is finally coming to an end. Like someone else further up in these rankings, though, he could benefit massively from his move to Napoli over the summer.

 

17Martin Odegaard

 

Arsenal and Norway

 

Premier League – Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – December 2, 2023 Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

 

Martin Odegaard was in the news as a very young teenager, so highly rated he was. After a move to Real Madrid that didn’t work out, he has certainly found his home in north London, where he is loved by his club’s fans. Odegaard is the Arsenal captain and, although he is perhaps not an obvious choice for a captaincy role, he has embraced it and continues to be the architect in Mikel Arteta’s midfield.

 

Odegaard has missed out on the Premier League title in three successive seasons in 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25, finishing second on the podium. However, part of the reason for this is how the Gunners suffered when he was out injured at the start of the last campaign. That’s how difficult it is for Arteta to replace the Norwegian, even if good solid strength in depth now means his imporrtance is waning slightly at the start of this term.

 

16Bruno Fernandes

 

Manchester United and Portugal

 

lBruno Fernandes celebrating

 

Bruno Fernandes’ output is nothing short of remarkable. The Portugal star’s best quality is his consistent end product, having bagged more than 10 goals in each of his five seasons at United. His best season to date saw him score 18 goals and register 11 assists in 37 Premier League games alone in 2020/21, while nobody created more big chances in the English top division last term.

 

With an eye for a killer pass and a willingness to always try things in a bid to score, Fernandes has become a leader for this United team and is right up there with the very best in terms of numbers alone – ranking sixth in all time Premier League big chances created after being in the league for just half a decade. If you’re looking for a modern-day goal-scoring midfielder, then look no further than the Portuguese superstar, who has also been tipped for a future in management, too.

 

15Dominik Szoboszlai

 

Liverpool and Hungary

 

 

Dominik Szoboszlai

 

Arne Slot challenged Dominik Szoboszlai to chip in with more goals and assists last season, and that’s exactly what the Reds’ number eight started to do at a crucial stage of the title-winning campaign. Popping up with vital goals against Tottenham, Man City and Newcastle, the Hungarian has added end product to his incredible work ethic.

 

The former RB Leipzig man came under fire for some below-par performances at the start of the campaign, but now that he’s adapted to a number of different roles, the 24-year-old looks well worth the £60 million the Merseysiders spent to snatch him away from the Bundesliga. An ultimate system player who chases the ball like a bloodhound, he most recently filled in at right-back against Newcastle to prove he’s also extremely versatile, and his sumptuous free-kick against Arsenal just a week later has finally led to him receiving the flowers he’s long deserved.

 

14Scott McTominay

 

Napoli and Scotland

 

 

Scott McTominay enjoyed his career-best season in Italy under Antonio Conte last time out, scoring 13 goals and providing six assists in 36 appearances across all competitions. He was instrumental in helping Napoli to their second Scudetto in three years, claiming the Serie A’s Most Valuable Player award in the process.

 

The Scotland international could have only dreamt of times like these when he was operating as one-half of the infamous ‘McFred’ partnership during some of Manchester United’s darkest hours in recent memory. But away from the rot at Old Trafford, the 28-year-old has been an absolute diamond at the heart of midfield.

 

13Bruno Guimaraes

 

Newcastle and Brazil

 

 

When Newcastle’s takeover was first completed in 2021, the Magpies needed to invest in their squad desperately. Just over three years on, and this purchase is probably the best one they have made. Bruno Guimaraes has been nothing but stellar at St James’ Park and continues to earn rave reviews for his displays in the famous black and white.

 

The Brazilian has long been touted to leave the club to explore bigger and better things. But the number 39 has stayed put, and his passion has not subsided just because of these rumours. He continues to be excellent and had the honour of lifting the club’s first trophy in seven decades as club captain when they won the Carabao Cup against Liverpool in 2025.

 

12Florian Wirtz

 

Liverpool and Germany

 

 

 

Granted, there seems to be some teething issues with £116 million signing Florian Wirtz, who has gone missing in the first handful of appearances he has made for champions Liverpool. But there can be no doubt about the quality he possesses, and should he get to grips with the physicality of football’s best division soon, he could well become the next Kevin De Bruyne.

 

During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, the 22-year-old won back-to-back Bundesliga Player of the Season awards. In that same timeline, he scored 21 goals and registered 23 assists in 63 appearances, and so it’s only a matter of time before the German international comes good and starts repaying some of his fee back with midfield masterclasses.

 

11Alexis Mac Allister

 

Liverpool and Argentina

 

 

 

The man who helped to orchestrate a World Cup win for Argentina in 2022. Alexis Mac Allister enjoyed a standout 2022/23 campaign for both club and country, and it was no surprise that Liverpool paid Brighton a handsome fee to sign him two summers ago.

 

Mac Allister won the League Cup in his first season as a Liverpool player and hoisted the Premier League title under Arne Slot a campaign later. While he might have some way to go to catch some of the other midfielders who feature on this list from the English top flight, the Argentine is not out of place among the elite midfielders in world football. He has taken his game to another level under his new manager.

World’s Best Midfielders Ranked

 

Rank

 

Name

 

Team

 

Nationality

 

1

 

Pedri

 

Barcelona

 

Spain

 

2

 

Jude Bellingham

 

Real Madrid

 

England

 

3

 

Declan Rice

 

Arsenal

 

England

 

4

 

Vitinha

 

Paris Saint-Germain

 

Portugal

 

5

 

Ryan Gravenberch

 

Liverpool

 

Netherlands

 

6

 

Jamal Musiala

 

Bayern Munich

 

Germany

 

7

 

Moises Caicedo

 

Chelsea

 

Ecuador

 

8

 

Rodri

 

Manchester City

 

Spain

 

9

 

Joao Neves

 

Paris Saint-Germain

 

Portugal

 

10

 

Federico Valverde

 

Real Madrid

 

Uruguay

 

11

 

Alexis Mac Allister

 

Liverpool

 

Argentina

 

12

 

Florian Wirtz

 

Liverpool

 

Germany

 

13

 

Bruno Guimaraes

 

Newcastle

 

Brazil

 

14

 

Scott McTominay

 

Napoli

 

Scotland

 

15

 

Dominik Szboszlai

 

Liverpool

 

Hungary

 

16

 

Bruno Fernandes

 

Manchester United

 

Portugal

 

17

 

Martin Odegaard

 

Arsenal

 

Norway

 

18

 

Kevin De Bruyne

 

Napoli

 

Belgium

 

19

 

Aurelien Tchouameni

 

Real Madrid

 

France

 

20

 

Joshua Kimmich

 

Bayern Munich

 

Germany