Top 5 Greatest midfielders of all time

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Football is not just about the strikers; there are other important positions, such as midfielders. Midfielders are the heart of any football team. These players connect the defense with attack and control, and often decide the outcome by important passing and work rate. From La Liga to the Premier League, over the years, we've witnessed some legendary midfielders in the game of football who turn the games with their outstanding work rate, control, and mindful passes. In this article, we've discussed the top 5 greatest midfielders of all time in football history.

Football has seen many highly skilled midfielders in its history, but only some of them managed to write their names in the hearts of fans to be remembered for a long time.

Here are the top 5 greatest midfielders of all time:

5. Luka Modric

luka modric

Luka Modric, a Croatian professional football player, is regarded as one of the most skilled midfielders in football. The 39-year-old’s ability to create openings by spotting perfect passes is amazing. He has very smooth and elegant control over the ball, and as a leader, he can control the tempo of the game from deep positions. Modric also contributes defensively with a high work rate, tackles, and interceptions.

He is a complete midfielder who can excel in both defense and attack. Luka Modric is the first player to break Messi-Ronaldo dominance since 2007 by winning the Ballon d’Or in 2018. He also led Croatia to its first-ever final in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and won the Golden Ball in the tournament.

4. Lothar Matthaus

lothar matthaus

Lothar Matthaus, a former football player from Germany, is also regarded as one of the most versatile midfielders of the game. Playing for West Germany, the 64-year-old was amazing in playing in both defensive and attacking roles. Also, he was very sharp with his tactical gameplay and had excellent passing range to switch play and control tempo with ease. With amazing consistency and reliability, Lothar is renowned for his dominance of the midfield battle, being physically strong and highly athletic.

Lothar Matthaus led West Germany to victory at the 1990 FIFA World Cup as a captain. He also finished as runner-up at the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cups. The 64-year-old also has a 1980 UEFA Euro title. Individually, he has won the 1990 Ballon d’Or, 1991 FIFA World Player of the Year, and 1990 and 1999 German Footballer of the Year.

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3. Xavi Hernandes

xavi hernandez

Xavi Hernandes, a former Spanish football player who was famous for his outstanding skills as a midfielder. The 45-year-old is widely known for his precise passing that controlled the rhythm of play. He had the exceptional intelligence to make quick and smart decisions under pressure. Additionally, he is renowned for his excellent first touch, dribbling, and ball control. His performance was exceptional in both Barcelona and Spain’s most successful eras.

With FC Barcelona, Xavi Hernández has won 8 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, 3 Copa del Rey titles, 6 Spanish Super Cups, 2 FIFA Club World Cups, and 2 UEFA Super Cups. With Spain, he won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro in 2008 and 2012. He is also the Olympic silver medalist in 2000 with Spain.

2. Andres Iniesta

andres iniesta

Andres Iniesta, the former Spanish professional footballer, is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders the game has ever seen. Andres had excellent skills to glide past defenders effortlessly in tight spaces with quick feet and balance to beat opponents even under pressure. His ability to stay calm under the pressure was just amazing; he rarely lost control.

Andres Iniesta is a FIFA World Cup 2010 winner with Spain and also scored the winning goal in the final. The midfielder also won the 2008 and 2012 UEFA Euros for his country. With FC Barcelona, Andres won 9 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, 6 Copa del Rey titles, 7 Spanish Super Cups, 3 FIFA Club World Cups, and 3 UEFA Super Cups.

1. Zinedine Zidane

zinedine zidane

Zinedine Zidane, the former professional football player from France, is widely regarded as the greatest midfielder in the history of football. The 53-year-old was renowned for his elegant ball control, where he made the game look effortless. He had an exceptional first touch, where his control under pressure was world-class. Additionally, Zinedine was a master of delivering clutch performances in big matches, like he delivered in the 1998 and 2006 World Cups. He turned the simple plays into moments of magic.

With France, he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and also scored 2 goals in the final against Brazil. Won Ballon d’Or in 1998, 3× FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000, and 2003, and Golden Ball in the FIFA World Cup 2006. Zinedine Zidane also did exceptional work as a manager, where he led Real Madrid to 3 UEFA Champions League titles, 2 La Liga titles, and 2 FIFA Club World Cup titles.

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Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQ)

Q1. Who is the best midfielder of all time?

Zinedine Zidane is widely regarded as the best midfielder of all time in football history. He was renowned for his elegant control, exceptional first touch, and clutch performances under pressure.