The 25 best defensive midfielders in world football - ranked

In the modern game, a defensive midfielder is required to be at their very best for the full 90 minutes, running with their engine on full blast.

They need to be relentless pressers, able to read every situation imaginable but also be talented on the ball, capable of intricately stroking it around at close range or picking a long-range pass. Often, it's hard to gain recognition in the best sides around the world if you play the anchor role, but every great team often has a number six making things tick.

The fun bit, for us anyway, is the debate around who the very best in the business is because there are inevitably differing opinions about who is the top dog.

So, because those kinds of debates are what we thrive on, we present the 25 players who are at the top of the game right now - primarily based on current form and standing at the highest level, taking into account injuries and excluding those who typically operate as a more rounded 'central' midfielder...

Here's our rankings as part of our 2023 Welcome to World Class series.

25. Sofyan Amrabat

After starring at the World Cup at the end of 2022, it took Sofyan Amrabat until the very last day of the summer 2023 transfer window to get his dream move to Man Utd.

The midfielder hasn't impressed as much as some would have expected and he may not be staying at Old Trafford permanently.

24. Manu Kone

Manu Kone loves a yellow card, picking up 12 in the 2022/23 Bundesliga season, but that didn't stop the Frenchman earning comparisons to Jude Bellingham for his agility and quickness in midfield.

The Borussia Monchengladbach ace can skip past challenges and likes to shoot from distance, also showing a great defensive work rate. His 74 successful tackles placed him ninth in the metric in Germany's top flight last season.

23. Amadou Onana

If Everton do manage to stay in the Premier League this season, Amadou Onana will be one of the main reasons why.

Boasting prodigious dexterity and industry, Onana's status as a key figure in a Premier League side represents a dramatic shift from his playing days in Belgium, where Zulte Waregem had to be persuaded to fund his train tickets.

22. Konrad Laimer

Just like almost every other Bundesliga star who doesn't play for Bayern Munich, Konrad Laimer was destined to join the Bundesliga champions at some point.

The Austria international ran the show at RB Leipzig for six years and is now having to use his versatility to plug gaps left by injuries at Bayern.

21. Leandro Paredes

A name that has been around for a while, Leandro Paredes often flies under the radar at his clubs.

He has been very solid and consistent for AS Roma this season.

20. Youssouf Fofana

Youssouf Fofana likes to sit at the base of midfield but is just as adept at pushing forward and orchestrating attacking moves.

With an easy passing style that sets him apart from more rigid-minded defensive midfielders, Fofana has grown at Monaco since Aurelien Tchouameni's departure.

19. Martin Zubimendi

Another superb product of the Real Sociedad academy, expect Martin Zubimendi to make a big-money move in the near future.

Bayern Munich and Arsenal are among some of the European heavyweights who have been linked with the 25-year-old.

18. Moises Caicedo

There are certainly high hopes for British record-signing Moises Caicedo at Chelsea.

Having forked out an astonishing £115m for the midfielder, Caicedo will be expected to lead Chelsea into a very successful period in the club's history.

There is more than enough time for the Ecuadorian to prosper, but he hasn't started life at Chelsea very well.

17. Thomas Partey

Ghana international Thomas Partey loves to drop a shoulder to create space in midfield where he can roam forward and set off Arsenal attacks.

He was technically advanced at a young age while developing at Atletico Madrid, playing a wide range of positions under Diego Simeone before settling in a deeper midfield role.

His injury absences at Arsenal have been more than just negated by Declan Rice's arrival this season and Partey's future at the Emirates is uncertain as a result.

16. Rodrigo Bentancur

Juventini laughed at Tottenham for acquiring Rodrigo Bentancur in January 2022, with many supporters never forgiving the Uruguayan for his error against Porto in a Champions League knockout tie the previous year.

The Lilywhites were the beneficiaries of Juve's willingness to sell and the Uruguayan transformed Antonio Conte's midfield at the start of the Italian's tenure. He takes responsibility in possession and is mightily effective without the ball.

He returned from a serious injury to help Ange Postecoglou's side in midfield when bodies were needed.

15. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa

Everything came together for Napoli during their 2022/23 Serie A title-winning season.

Luciano Spalletti's midfield was weighted perfectly, with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa - formerly of Fulham fame - perfectly balancing defensive contributions with clever forward runs.

Like everyone else at Napoli, he has struggled this season under Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri.

14. Edson Alvarez

Edson Alvarez has been superb for West Ham this season and has helped to limit the effects of Declan Rice leaving the club.

West Ham's technical director Tim Steidten has hailed Alvarez as "super important," echoing the glowing reviews delivered by Hammers manager David Moyes.

13. Manuel Ugarte

Paris Saint-Germain won the race to sign Manuel Ugarte during the summer and it's a signing that could be truly transformative for the club's midfield.

The 23-year-old is one of the best ball-winners around. He has not dominated Ligue 1 in the way PSG might have hoped so far, but he was a smart signing nonetheless.

12. Casemiro

Casemiro is one of the great modern-day defensive midfielders, having won countless trophies as Real Madrid's chief enforcer during the 2010s.

The urge to try something different saw the Brazilian join Manchester United and he enjoyed a domineering first campaign at Old Trafford - whenever he wasn't sidelined through suspension.

Casemiro's ailing legs don't allow him to screen his defence quite as effectively and he has been compromised by some of Erik ten Hag's tactics, but he is wonderful in possession and remains a key leader for Man Utd.

11. Boubacar Kamara

Boubacar Kamara was very highly rated at Marseille for a long time, but he ended up going slightly under the radar before signing for Aston Villa.

Under Unai Emery, he has been a crucial player and can be largely credited with their superb league position.

10. Wataru Endo

An unusual signing for Liverpool, Wataru Endo has proved to be a smart addition considering how light the Reds were for defensive midfielders.

As Jurgen Klopp told the Japan international upon his arrival: "We really need you. We have a really good team. Ready to work, but very offensive."

His strong screening has allowed players like Alexis Mac Allister to flourish further forward, vindicating the surprise summer move.

9. Joao Palhinha

The top tackling player in the Premier League last season, it's fair to say Fulham might not have stayed up without Joao Palhinha.

A summer move to Bayern Munich fell through and Marco Silva has undoubtedly been the beneficiaries, with the Portugal midfielder producing another strong season at Craven Cottage.

8. Douglas Luiz

Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz is arguably the key man in Unai Emery's Aston Villa side.

His ability on and off the ball allows the players in front of him to go and win games. Luiz also has a more developed eye for goal than most of his defensive midfield peers.

7. Yves Bissouma

Former Brighton star Yves Bissouma was regarded as a super signing by Spurs during a window which was meant to catapult the Lilywhites to a new realm with Antonio Conte in charge.

However, the midfielder's debut season in north London was tough. His first few appearances under Conte were sub-par and it seemed as if he never quite garnered the trust of the Italian before his injury setback.

Nevertheless, Bissouma's talent is undeniable and we've seen how good he can be this season under new manager Ange Postecoglou.

6. Granit Xhaka

Granit Xhaka leaving Arsenal as a fan favourite captured his remarkable renaissance at the Emirates.

The often scapegoated midfielder's relationship with Gunners supporters came to a head in October 2019 when he was jeered by fans while he trudged off the pitch. Many believed that to be a point of no return, but Xhaka quickly went about restoring his reputation with the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta's arrival offered the Swiss international a new lease of life and he re-emerged as a key figure in north London. While there was still the odd moment of madness, Xhaka established himself as Arteta’s iron man and a role change in 2022/23 led to his most productive season in Arsenal colours.

He is now central to Bayer Leverkusen's charge towards what would be a historic Bundesliga title.

5. Alexis Mac Allister

Alexis Mac Allister was very much a box-to-box midfielder for Brighton and Hove Albion but has adopted a holding role since joining Liverpool.

He's been brilliant in that deeper position, even if his more eye-catching moments suggest the World Cup winner will feature further forward more regularly at Anfield in the future.

4. Joshua Kimmich

Joshua Kimmich is one of the most versatile top-level players in the game today and has been central to Bayern Munich's constant trophy-winning in recent years.

His brilliance at the base of midfield, ability to keep things ticking over and break up play on an unprecedented level make him an outstanding asset, one who can also play at right-back when required.

3. Aurelien Tchouameni

Real Madrid extensively scouted Aurelien Tchouameni during his time at Monaco and must have been impressed by the amount of defensive work - particularly tackles and interceptions - he gets through, though his progressive game isn't half shabby either.

He has been living up to his €100m price tag and is one of the first names on Carlo Ancelotti's teamsheet.

2. Declan Rice

Declan Rice has improved at an incredible rate in recent years and is now leading Arsenal's midfield.

Few players can match the England international's sublime tackling rate, while he has also become a force at the other end of the pitch in attack.

1. Rodri

It took a season or so for Rodri to get to grips with the vigours of Premier League football, but since acclimatising there have been few better in defensive midfield than the Spaniard.

Fast forward to the present day and Rodri has elevated his game back to the highest level, showing his class and inheriting Fernandinho's throne.

Scoring the winner in the Champions League final also boosted his stock a fair bit, but even so, Rodri is the best in his position right now.

READ MORE ON THE BEST 25 PLAYERS FOR EVERY POSITION IN WORLD FOOTBALL