As teams look to get more tactical and reinforce their defensive structure, maintain possession, and consistently progress play with quick decisions in set patterns of play, the defensive midfield position is becoming an increasingly coveted and demanded position in modern football.
Look no further than the fees Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernández and Real Madrid spent to sign Aurélien Tchouaméni, who shows up on this list.
Who joins him? Where does he rank?
Here are the 10 best defensive midfielders in the world right now.
10. Aleix García, Girona
Aleix García has been one of the sensations of the 2022/23 season, and he isn’t the only breakout star who finds himself on this list of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
The Girona leader’s numbers have to be seen to be believed, and yet his performances on the pitch are even more powerful than these statistics.
García has five assists and 2.5 key passes per game as one of LaLiga’s Player of the Season favorites and best overall midfielders.
Despite being one of the best chance-creators in Spanish football, García has still been solid defensively, averaging a combined 2.5 tackles and interceptions.
At 25, García is already one of the best midfielders in the world and is finally catching the eye of fans of big clubs around Europe. Could he return to Manchester City from Girona? García would not look out of place in that squad when looking at his quality, that’s for sure.
9. Martín Zubimendi, Real Sociedad
Though Martín Zubimendi hasn’t been as impressive statistically as Aleix García, the Real Sociedad man is seen as the superior long-term player and is a dream target for Barcelona fans as a Sergio Busquets replacement.
Zubimendi has been at the heart of so much that’s good about La Real, enabling the other midfielders like David Silva, Mikel Merino, and Brais Méndez to flex their full attacking might.
The hard-working, intelligent, and unselfish Zubimendi is also evidently committed to San Sebastián for another season. And they do need him.
He is already one of the best defensive midfielders in world football, but in a few years, he could fight for a place as the very best. His potential is through the roof.
8. Aurélien Tchouaméni, Real Madrid
Aurélien Tchouaméni was one of the best players in Ligue 1 in the 2021/22 season, earning an 80-100 million euro move to reigning Champions League winners Real Madrid (the final price depends on bonuses).
The 23-year-old recently fell into a bit of a rough spell, but his fantastic play for Madrid at the beginning of the season should be a sign of what’s to come. In such a crowded midfield and with so much pressure, a young player like Tchouaméni isn’t always going to be at his very best.
Yet the quality is obviously there, as anyone who watched him over the years in the French top flight can attest.
An all-around star as a 6 in midfield, Tchouaméni reads the game brilliantly, isn’t afraid to put in a tough tackle, and is excellent at walling off passing lanes. His technique, quality of passing, and overall progression rank him among the best at the position.
We are talking about a young midfielder who is averaging over three combined tackles and interceptions per game with a pass completion percentage near 94 in his first league season with Real Madrid. And he is only going to get better from here for the Merengues. Much, much better.
7. Bruno Guimarães, Newcastle
The Magpies have succeeded thanks to a sturdy defense, and there may not be a more important player to the squad than midfielder Bruno Guimarães. Beyond doing a lot of work to shield the excellent back four, Bruno G. is exquisite on the ball, progressing play and showing great composure in finding the right option to counter or recycle possession.
A star for Lyon in Ligue 1, Guimarães has shown progress as a leader and all-around player for Newcastle. He has made a huge step up and is very much a top-class defensive midfielder.
6. Stanislav Lobotka, Napoli
Another one of the breakout stars of the 2022/23 season, Stanislav Lobotka is slowly but surely shedding the “underrated” label with each successive stellar performance for Napoli.
A lot of adulation goes to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen (the second-best striker in Europe this season). Even Kim Min-Jae is getting recognition as one of the very best center backs in the world.
Yet it still feels like Lobotka is underrated. He is the metronome that keeps everything ticking for Napoli, playing excellent defense and rarely misplacing a pass.
Lobotka is vital to the Partenopei progressing play, picking out the right options and showing a cool head under pressure.
An ideal defensive midfielder in the build-up, Lobotka plays an understated, unselfish, but oh-so-vital role in Napoli’s success this season both in Serie A and the Champions League.
5. Ismaël Bennacer, Milan
Yet the best defensive midfielder Italian football plays in the city of Milano. Ismaël Bennacer is more than just a defensive midfielder, but the versatile Algerian is at his best in a double-pivot with Sandro Tonali, producing world-class performance after world-class performance.
Even on a team with reigning Serie A MVP Rafael Leão and the league’s best goalkeeper in Mike Maignan, there’s a case to be made that Bennacer is Milan’s most important player.
Bennacer does it all. The 25-year-old is averaging 3.3 combined tackles and interceptions per game with 1.8 key passes, 1.0 dribbles completed, and 1.0 fouls drawn per match. Bennacer is stellar in a box-to-box role for the Rossoneri.
4. Casemiro, Manchester United
Casemiro is the most accomplished defensive midfielder in the world, and he has helped transform Manchester United from a perennial disappointment to one of those most dangerous teams in the English top flight.
They have been successful domestically and internationally, ripping apart LaLiga sides Barcelona and Real Betis in the Europa League.
The four-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid has been one of United’s very best players in his first season at Old Trafford. He has been as elite as expected defensively and has pleasantly surprised some United fans, who only heard concerns from Madridistas about Casé’s passing.
There is no question that when it comes to pedigree and pure defensive ability, Casemiro is in a league of his own. He has been one of the best defensive midfielders for years and years.
3. Declan Rice, Arsenal
Declan Rice has joined Arsenal for a record 100 million pounds (plus five million more in add-ons) as the most expensive English player in history. And he is worth every bit of that money, joining Jude Bellingham and Aurélien Tchouaméni as world-class young midfielders to join elite clubs for major sums of cash.
A nearly-flawless anchoring midfielder, Rice prevented West Ham from being a complete disaster in the 2022/23 Premier League season, doing the job of multiple players with his ball-winning, defensive screening, bravery under pressure when carrying the ball, and world-class passing.
The 24-year-old is a complete player and only scratching the surface of what he can become. On a team with Arsenal’s quality at all levels of the pitch, Rice can take a massive step forward to establishing himself as a global superstar. He has the raw talent to reach No. 1 on this list, especially with the attacking talent he’ll join in North London.
2. Rodri, Manchester City
For a more anchoring presence in midfield, Rodri is a true defensive midfielder for Manchester City and makes everyone around him that much better. But this season, amidst a tight title race with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, Rodri is showing another level to his game offensively.
The 26-year-old has already set a career-high with five assists, as he’s never had more than three in a season before. Rodri has also scored twice and is averaging 1.1 key passes per game for the Citizens.
There’s no doubt that shielding the defense, blocking passing lanes, and providing mistake-free passing in the build-up are the key roles Rodri provides in his vital role for Pep Guardiola’s side. The former Villarreal and Atlético Madrid standout is quietly getting even better for the Premier League giants. It’s scary to think that Rodri is only just entering his peak.
1. Joshua Kimmich, Bayern München
As brilliant and accomplished as Casemiro is, Bayern München superstar Joshua Kimmich needs to be recognized as the best defensive midfielder in the world.
Once one of the best right backs on the planet, Kimmich pushed to move to midfield, just like another former Bayern great in Philipp Lahm.
As it turns out, Kimmich is an even better midfielder than Lahm ever was for either Bayern or the German national team. That’s no disrespect to Lahm, but rather a testament to how brilliant Kimmich has been. He is definitely one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
A leader and an all-around ace in midfield, Kimmich is an anchoring presence despite his slight frame, and that’s because he has a non-stop motor and a great intellect for the game.
Kimmich reads play several steps before things truly develop, using feints and the momentum of the opponent to create space.
Like a great quarterback, Kimmich can pick out passes of any range or type, setting in motion clear-cut chances for his teammates. And Kimmich can score worldies from out of nowhere, too, often saving Bayern’s blushes by doing so.
With 21 assists in the previous two Bundesliga seasons, Kimmich has been on a different level with his chance-creation, regularly averaging over two key passes per game.
He is the benchmark in midfield right now, even averaging 2.3 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game as a dominant force in the Champions League.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He covered Real Madrid from 2019-2022 for The Real Champs as a site manager. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.