Top 10 Best Midfielders of All Time - Ranked

Over the years, hundreds of midfielders have represented both club and country, and among them are a few who have etched their names in the golden book of football. The best midfielders have been running the game for their respective teams without making a fuss about their service. Making a list comprising the best midfielders of all time is one of the most difficult jobs in sports, as there are so many who demand their names to be included.

From La Liga to the English Premier League, from Bundesliga to Serie A, every major football competition has witnessed a plethora of legendary footballers who were fun to watch when they had the ball at their feet. Here at Sportsdunia, we have compiled a list of the top 10 best midfielders of all time, taking their contributions to the success of their respective teams into account. The names who have made it to the list are mostly Central and attacking midfielders who used to boss things all over the park.

List of Greatest Midfielders of All Time

There have been countless midfielders who left their mark in the annals of football, but only a few have managed to inspire and made them crazy with their skills and talent. Below is a list of the greatest midfielders of all time:

How We Ranked the 10 Best Midfielders of All Time?

Individual Performance: Individual performance evaluates a midfielder’s technical brilliance, consistency, and ability to deliver in high-stakes moments. We have kept individual performance as one of the factors to rank the top 10 best midfielders in the world. And these stats were taken from sources like Transfermarkt.

Trophies Won: This factor helped us in determining whether the player's contribution was getting converted into results or not. For instance, if a player's goal and assists are not able to help the team win accolades, then those numbers are only numbers on a stat sheet.

Impact on the Team: Impact on the team assesses how a midfielder elevated their squad’s performance, both tactically and inspirationally. This includes their role in transforming a team’s style, such as pioneering possession play or driving a dynasty through leadership.

Individual Awards & Honours: Individual accolades and honours help us in determining how influential these players were while ranking them on our list of the 10 best midfielders of all time.

Who are the Greatest Midfielders of All Time?

Although there have been countless legends who have left an everlasting mark with their performance in the midfield, but failed to make it onto our list of the best midfielders of all time. Some honourable mentions: Toni Kroos, Kevin De Bruyne, Yaya Toure, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Patrick Vieira, and more.

10. Michel Platini (France)

Many would know Platini as a controversial figure, courtesy of his controversial actions as the former FIFA president, but his achievements as a player, especially as a midfielder, make him one of the most important footballers of the game. One of the finest passers of the game, Platini was a dead-ball expert in the history of football. The French attacking midfielder wasn’t only a clinical passer but also a specialist goalscorer, who amassed over 250 goals in his decorated career at Juventus, Nancy, and Saint-Etienne while winning a host of major trophies.

His decorated career as a midfielder has made him our number 10 on the list of best midfielders of all time. Platini’s flair at Juventus made him a scoring midfielder, his nine goals in the 1984 Euros leading France to glory. His creativity and leadership transformed Juventus into a European force, driving their success with match-defining performances. The Frenchman has etched his name as one of the greatest French footballers ever.

9. Paul Scholes (England)

A classy operator, Paul Scholes was a part of the golden generation of English football. Arguably, he is regarded as the best midfielder of the Premier League era who has spent his entire career with Manchester United, making over 700 club appearances and winning a staggering 11 league titles.

His iconic goals and assists in key moments for United will always be echoed in the minds of football fans. His excellent vision and witty and precise passing made him a legend in the Golden Generation of English midfielders, including Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.

8. Sir Stanley Matthews (England)

Matthews. Sir Matthews. This is what football fans used to call him. Sir Stanley Matthews is probably the greatest wide midfielder in English football’s history. A remarkable and folkloric figure, Matthews played for Blackpool and Stoke City from 1930 to the 1950s.

The English icon raked up countless honours, including the likes of the Ballon d’Or, Premier League, and FA Cup trophies. His consistency on the field made him a star in the UK, and that’s why he is the only player in history to have been knighted before hanging up his boots.

7. Luka Modric (Croatia)

The Real Madrid midfielder is at number 7 on this list. He is the last midfielder to have won a Ballon d’Or title (2018), an award which is generally dominated nowadays by elite forwards such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Modric, one of the greatest ever to have played, is a crown jewel in the Los Blancos squad. The most impressive quality of the attacking midfielder is his capability of picking defence-splitting forward passes and performing defensive duties at the same time.

He played a pivotal role in firing Croatia to their first-ever FIFA World Cup final, where they succumbed to a heavy loss against France. Real Madrid’s three consecutive victories in the Champions League convey the importance and evolving nature of the Croatian attacking midfielder, who is still going strong in the Spanish capital and will surely go down as one of the greatest players in the history of Real Madrid.

6. Lothar Matthäus (Germany)

The German midfielder was a commanding presence in the centre of midfield and was easily one of Die Mannschaft’s best-ever players. Matthäus was awarded the 1990 Ballon d’Or after leading Germany to a famous World Cup win against Italy in the same year. His exceptional performances and astute presence have solidified his status as one of the best defensive midfielders of all time.

He holds the record for the most World Cup matches played by a single player, 25. Matthäus won seven Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich but never managed to win the European Cup. He came very close to it when Bayern were beaten by Manchester United in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final and established his name as one of the best midfielders of all time.

5. Andrea Pirlo (Italy)

The Italian legend redefined the true meaning of a deep-lying midfielder with a wide range of passing ability and extraordinary skills. Pirlo has won every possible major soccer title, including the FIFA World Cup, Champions League, Serie A titles, and plenty of other trophies during his successful footballing career. When it comes to precise long balls and through balls through defensive lines, Andrea Pirlo was lethal. From midfield, he used to control the tempo of the game.

The former Juventus midfielder is often called ‘Mister Cool’ because of his calmness on the field, a trait which used to help him pick up the right passes in pressured situations and dictate a game accordingly. His consistency and fitness allowed him to feature in 756 games in his career, making him one of the best midfielders of all time to play the game.

4. Xavi Hernandez (Spain)

Andres Iniesta’s most reliable partner in the middle, Xavi Hernandez’s spot on the list might raise some eyebrows, but his contribution to revolutionizing Barcelona’s midfield during the club’s golden era speaks for itself. Among many things, his strength mainly focused on finding space and making forward passes for the attackers. Xavi has scored 112 goals and provided 216 assists in 933 appearances

Xavi was one of the protagonists when Barcelona was in its prime with Pep Guardiola as their manager. Xavi’s short pinpoint passes and give-and-go gameplay had torn apart many defenses at the international level while playing for Spain and at the domestic level with FC Barcelona. He was the heartbeat of the Barcelona midfield, who used to dictate the games and execute his duties with perfection. A great playmaker and supreme passer, Xavi was one of the main catalysts in leading Spain to the 2010 World Cup glory.

3. Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)

One of the most versatile and complete players of all time, Ruud Gullit was so talented that he played at several positions and still performed exceptionally well. His work rate in both offensive and defensive fields, alongside his finishing abilities, made him one of the best midfielders of all time. The most complete player you will ever see in football history. You name the position, and he can play in it without getting exposed by opponents.

The former Dutch footballer was a threat in set-piece situations, given his towering stature, but he was most of the most elegant and technically poised dribblers of his era. The legendary midfielder won countless trophies in his career, but his most memorable triumphs were his victory in the UEFA European Championship in 1988 and his Ballon d’Or award in 1987.

2. Andres Iniesta (Spain)

The master of tiki-taka, Andres Iniesta, is a legendary figure in world football. Alongside Xavi Hernandez, Iniesta used to toy with opposition midfielders with his short passes and clinical vision. His greatness in the midfield was backed by a bunch of major titles, including the UCL, La Liga and Copa del Rey. In his 22 years of stay in Spain, the Spanish legend won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and four Champions League titles. Simply put, Iniesta is the epitome of a complete number 6 in football. Iniesta is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.

Andres Iniesta has over 850 appearances in club football. Some critics question the early exit from the top-tier football, but it doesn’t change anything for one of the top 10 best midfielders of all time – he has proved himself in the Spanish League. The player has scored 93 goals, whereas his assists are almost doubled at 161. Andres Iniesta is considered the best midfielder for the Blaugrana side.

1. Zinedine Zidane (France)

Despite being a midfielder, Zinedine Zidane was impressive in dribbling, a quality generally found in wingers and forwards. Apart from this, he was a great passer of the ball and a clinical finisher. He had an impressive club football record with Real Madrid, Juventus and Bordeaux. A versatile midfielder and a Ballon d’Or winner, who used to demonstrate his dazzling skills, marvellous first touch, and visionary passing range.

Zidane accumulated plenty of goals and assists wherever he went in his career. The 1998 FIFA World Cup winner was a true legend of the game. He was a man of big games; he always stood up for his team in every single game whenever the team was in trouble. His 689 appearances tell us that in whichever team he played, He was a crucial player and managers wanted him on the pitch. With 125 goals and 141 assists, the player tops our list of the best midfielders of all time.