Top 10 Best Football (Soccer) Midfielders of All Time
Midfielders are the heartbeat of any great football team. They control the tempo, dictate play, and bridge the gap between defense and attack. Some are known for their pinpoint passing, others for their vision and creativity, and some for their ability to cover every blade of grass for 90 minutes. The very best midfielders have shaped the way the game is played, influencing generations of players who have tried to follow in their footsteps.This list features some of the most influential and skillful players to ever step onto the pitch, but your votes help determine who truly stands out. Whether you value elegance, leadership, or raw determination, this is your chance to have a say in how history remembers these football icons.
Diego Armando Maradona (October 30, 1960 - November 25, 2020) was an Argentine professional footballer. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, he was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award. Maradona was given the nickname "El Pibe... read more Why the hell is he seventh? He scored the best goal in football history! And even I admit that, though I support England! Look, if you have not seen these people play, don't vote and leave this list now!
1. Best midfielder.
2. And best soccer player. An amazing shooter. Maradona and Messi are the top 2 players, but in terms of dribbling, Messi is 1 and Maradona is 2.
Luka Modrić is a Croatian footballer who plays for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Croatia national team. Should be number one in the last few years.
He should be above Cristiano Ronaldo!
Croatia's and Real Madrid's best hope. Think about it and about his stats. Then put him in the ninth position.
Zinedine Yazid Zidane, nicknamed "Zizou," (born 23 June 1972) is a French former professional football player who played as an attacking midfielder.He received many individual accolades as a player, including being named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000, and 2003, as well as winning... read more
This is a joke, right? How the hell is Zidane not #1, or even in the top 3? You really don't know soccer then. This guy carried France to the World Cup as a rookie. He was the best player on a Real Madrid team that had Ronaldo, Raul, Figo, and R. Carlos. That's saying something! Plus, he was still playing at a high level at the age of 35 and got France back to the World Cup!
Zidane should definitely be in the top 5, not Kaka, Ronaldo, or Lampard. This guy is a legend and could school any of these players easily. He was the heart and soul of any soccer team. He is also rated among the top 3 football players in the world.
Andrés Iniesta Luján is a retired Spanish professional footballer who most notably played for FC Barcelona and the Spain national team.
He won the FIFA World Cup with Spain in 2010, scoring the winning goal in the final against the Netherlands. Really? The best ever! Spain won the World Cup with his goal. Iniesta, Xavi, and Messi are the best trio in football (soccer), but Iniesta is the mastermind, the magician!
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980), commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho or simply Ronaldinho, is a Brazilian former professional footballer and current ambassador for Barcelona. He played mostly as an attacking midfielder, but was also deployed as a winger. Often considered one of the best... read more I say that he is the best. When he is at his peak, he is unstoppable.
He is the best dribbler and should be best.
Xavier "Xavi" Hernández Creus is a former Spanish professional footballer who most notably played as a central midfielder for FC Barcelona and the Spain national team.He won four UEFA Champions League titles with Barcelona and the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Spain... read more
No matter what anyone says, this guy is definitely the best midfielder ever! (Coming from someone who played pro in South America). His success in club and country can't lie, plus changing the whole tactical system in the best club in the world (Barcelona) is something only a legend could do.
The brain of Barça/Spain and the main point of the tiki-taka system, he pretty much controlled the whole team according to his thinking (check his highlights on YouTube). This world will definitely never see another footballer like Xavi Hernandez!
Look at his numbers, just look at them. 232 goals and 172 assists. It's nearly impossible for any midfielder to scale such heights, but not for Frank Lampard. He is a legend in every sense of the word.
It was a pleasure watching him play. Too bad we won't be able to do it any longer. It's a pain, really. A pain that leaves a hole in the heart as deep as the ocean.
What can I say? Everyone in the world knows Frank Lampard is the best and is a legend. A goal machine, a friend, a hero, a legend, the heartbeat of the team. He has good vision, knowing where to pass and where to kick the ball. He is also the most successful penalty taker in football history.
The Newcomers
Steven George Gerrard (born 30 May 1980) is an English professional football manager and former Liverpool player.
He previously managed Saudi Pro League team Al-Ettifaq but left the role by mutual consent in January 2025 after 18 months in charge. Say all you want about Lampard's stats, but let's be honest, if we talk about pure quality, Gerrard is above Lampard. The goals he scored for Liverpool and England were out of this world, and not to mention, crucial. He won Liverpool the Champions League and FA Cup by himself and was arguably the best captain of the Premier League era.
He played in a mediocre team for his whole career and still did amazing. He didn't need to be put in a world-class team to get global recognition, and that's why Liverpool fans will admit that for many years, Gerrard carried Liverpool. Lampard simply didn't have the same influence as Gerrard or the "big game" attitude.
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (born February 5, 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr and captains the Portugal national team. Ronaldo has impressive skills with incredible power. He can manage to confuse defenders and also score goals from a great distance. He can do what other players in this world cannot.
We all know him. Of course, he's somewhere on this list.
The best world player in our time, and he is the best ball controller in the world. No one will match his standard.
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, commonly known as Kaká or Ricardo Kaká, is a retired Brazilian professional footballer.
He played as an attacking midfielder for clubs such as AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Orlando City, as well as the Brazil national team. The most prolific playmaker in present-day football, he makes the whole attack look so simple by his passing ability. He can score from long range and inside the box. A full package!
The best midfielder ever experienced by soccer!
What Kaká has done, no one can do. He is the best.
Franck Henry Pierre Ribéry is a former French professional footballer who played for German club Bayern Munich.
He finished third in the 2013 Ballon d'Or rankings, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Ribery made his debut in the 2006 World Cup and had a tremendous amount of skill. He became a star for France as well as Bayern Munich. He deserves to be in the top 5.
Skills, passes, shots, and much more...
Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano is a Spanish footballer who plays for German club Bayern Munich as a central midfielder.
Arjen Robben is a retired Dutch professional footballer who played for Bayern Munich and the Netherlands national team.
He won the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2013 and was a runner-up in the 2010 FIFA World Cup with the Netherlands.
Ángel Fabián Di María (born 14 February 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a right winger or attacking midfielder for Primeira Liga club Benfica... read more
Mesut Özil is a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe. Nicknamed "The Assist King", Özil is known for his technical skills, creativity, agility, and finesse. Özil is the world-class midfielder of all time. His passing quality is better than Xavi, Zidane, and more. That's why he is the best playmaker.
Hendrik Johannes "Johan" Cruijff (25 April 1947 – 24 March 2016) was a Dutch professional football player and coach. As a player, he won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973, and 1974. Cruyff was a proponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football explored by Rinus Michels, and is... read more Not much to say. The greatest midfielder I have ever seen!
Manuel Francisco dos Santos, known by the nickname Garrincha, was a Brazilian footballer who played right winger and forward. Best dribbler in history. Along with Pele, they were unbeatable.
Park is such an underrated player. Just his determination and short passing will inspire the whole team.
This guy has an extra lung. He moves everywhere around the pitch, like an extra player in every position! Insane player.
Kevin De Bruyne (born 28 June 1991) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester City and the Belgium national team.
Toni Kroos is a German professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Spanish club Real Madrid and the German national team. He plays mainly as a central midfielder, but has also been deployed as a deep-lying playmaker in his career. Known for his vision, passing, creativity, crossing and set-piece... read more Put him in the top 5 already. His vision, control, and playmaking are simply phenomenal. Legend!
This list is a joke. It's called Best Midfielders! Why are wingers and strikers in the top 20 while this man is at 41? Barca literally watched videos of Scholes playing football to learn from the best. Every manager wanted to sign him, but he was loyal till the end.
This is the worst list I've seen. Scholes not in the top ten, but Mata is?! Not to mention Ronaldo and Neymar, who aren't even midfielders. Scholes being at 46 just shows how underrated he is. Legend of the game.
The man is a cannon. Deserves a much higher rank than his current position of 43.
Paul Labile Pogba is a French professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Manchester United and the France national team.