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Top 20 best defensive midfielders in the world today: who are they?
Claudia Kogi, Cyprine Apindi
February 14, 2023 at 1:31 PM
Did you know that without defensive midfielders, football would be a meaningless game? These important players clear up any mess on the field and provide a link between the defence and midfield. The best defensive midfielders anticipate their opponents' next move and eliminate any attacks before they develop.
Source: UGC
The best defensive midfielders are always alert and disciplined. They are good communicators and have incomparable stamina and tactical awareness. They also have a superior passing ability and the ability to read the game.
Best defensive midfielders in the world today
One of the roles of a defensive midfielder is being a shield for the defence. Below is a list of the best defensive midfielders in the world in 2023. They are selected based on their performance stats in the last few seasons.
20. Leandro Paredes - Juventus
Source: UGC
- Full name: Leandro Daniel Paredes
- Date of birth: 29th June 1994
- Age: 28 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: San Justo, Argentina
- Nationality: Argentine
- Zodiac sign: Cancer
- Current team: Serie A club Juventus and the Argentina national team
Leandro Paredes is one of the best midfielders in the world today. He made his league debut for Boca Juniors on 6th November 2010.
He has also played for Roma, Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Paris Saint-Germain. Leandro is currently on a season-long loan with an option to buy at Serie A club Juventus. So far, he has made 72 league appearances, scoring three goals and providing eight assists.
19. Kalvin Phillips - Manchester City
- Full name: Kalvin Mark Phillips
- Date of birth: 2nd December 1995
- Age: 27 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Leeds, United Kingdom
- Nationality: British
- Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
- Current team: Manchester City and the England national team
Kalvin Phillips started his Premier League career for Leeds United in September 2020. He first played in a Premier League game for Manchester City against West Ham United on 7th August 2022.
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In his Premier League career, Phillips has appeared in 50 matches in the competition. He has scored one goal and three assists. He is ranked among the best defensive midfielders ever, and fans hope to see him more on the field in the future.
18. Ryan Gravenberch - Bayern Munich
- Full name: Ryan Jiro Gravenberch
- Date of birth: 16th May 2002
- Age: 20 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Nationality: Dutch
- Zodiac sign: Taurus
- Current team: Bayern Munich and the Netherlands national team
In 2010, Ryan Gravenberch joined the Ajax Youth Academy. He has worked his way up through the junior levels.
He signed his first professional contract with Ajax in June 2018. On 13th June 2022, he signed for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich on a five-year contract. He has appeared in most of the Bundesliga matches in 2022/2023. Each of his appearances has come as a substitute.
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17. Jorginho - Chelsea
- Full name: Jorge Luiz Frello Filho Cavaliere OMRI
- Date of birth: 20th December 1991
- Age: 31 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Imbituba, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian-Italian
- Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
- Current team: Chelsea and the Italy national team
Jorginho Frello has appeared in most of Chelsea's Premier League games in 2022/2023, making 12 appearances. He has netted two Premier League goals this season, making him the side's third-top league scorer.
In last season's Premier League, Jorginho played 29 games for his team. He scored six goals and provided two assists. He moved to Chelsea in July 2018 from Napoli.
16. Granit Xhaka - Arsenal
- Full name: Granit Xhaka
- Date of birth: 27th September 1992
- Age: 30 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Basel, Switzerland
- Nationality: Swiss
- Zodiac sign: Libra
- Current team: Arsenal and captains the Switzerland national team
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Granit Xhaka plays for Arsenal. He has appeared in the side's 13 Premier League games in 2022/2023. The midfielder has netted three Premier League goals this season.
He made his debut in the Premier League match for Arsenal on 14th August 2016. In last season's Premier League, Xhaka featured in 27 games for Arsenal, scored one goal and provided two assists.
15. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg - Tottenham Hotspur
- Full name: Pierre-Emile Kordt Højbjerg
- Date of birth: 5th August 1995
- Age: 27 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Copenhagen, Denmark
- Nationality: Danish
- Zodiac sign: Leo
- Current team: Tottenham Hotspur and the Denmark national team
On 13th August 2016, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg made his football league debut at Southampton. He first played in a Premier League game for Tottenham Hotspur on 13th September 2020.
He has appeared in most of Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League matches in 2022/2023, making 13 appearances. He made 36 Premier League appearances in the previous season and scored two goals.
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14. Rúben Neves - Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Full name: Rúben Diogo da Silva Neves
- Date of birth: 13th March 1997
- Age: 25 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Mozelos, Portugal
- Nationality: Portuguese
- Zodiac sign: Pisces
- Current team: Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Portugal national team
Rúben Neves made a good impression on his football league debut for Wolverhampton Wanderers on 11th August 2018. He has made 13 appearances in the team's Premier League matches in 2022/2023.
He joined the Wolverhampton Wanderers in July 2017. Before then, Rúben Neves played for Porto. In the previous season, he appeared in 33 Wolverhampton Wanderers games and scored four goals.
13. Bruno Guimarães - Newcastle United
- Full name: Bruno Guimarães Rodriguez Moura
- Date of birth: 16th November 1997
- Age: 25 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Zodiac sign: Scorpio
- Current team: Newcastle United and the Brazil national team
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Bruno Guimarães has made 11 appearances overall for Newcastle United's Premier League matches in 2022/2023. Before joining Newcastle United in January 2022, Bruno Guimarães was signed with the Olympique Lyonnais.
At 17, Guimarães finished his formation with Audax. He was promoted to the main squad in the 2017 campaign. On 8th February 2022, he made his football league debut.
12. Konrad Laimer - RB Leipzig
Source: UGC
- Full name: Konrad Laimer
- Date of birth: 27th May 1997
- Age: 25 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Salzburg, Austria
- Nationality: Austrian
- Zodiac sign: Gemini
- Current team: RB Leipzig and the Austria national team
Did you know Konrad Laimer debuted in a Bundesliga fixture for RB Leipzig on 19th August 2017? He joined RB Leipzig in July 2017. Before then, he was signed with Salzburg.
He has only made four appearances in the Bundesliga games in 2022/2023. He made 26 Bundesliga appearances in the last season.
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11. Aurélien Tchouaméni - Real Madrid
- Full name: Aurélien Djani Tchouaméni
- Date of birth: 27th January 2000
- Age: 23 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Rouen, France
- Nationality: French
- Zodiac sign: Aquarius
- Current team: Real Madrid and the France national team
Aurélien Tchouaméni made his debut in a Primera División fixture for Real Madrid on 14th August 2022. Before joining Real Madrid in July 2022, Tchouaméni was signed with Monaco.
He has made ten appearances as a Real Madrid midfielder in the 2022/2023 Primera División games. Fans hope to see him more in future matches.
10. Sergio Busquets - Barcelona
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Sergio Busquets Burgos
- Date of birth: 16th July 1988
- Age: 34 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Sabadell, Spain
- Nationality: Spanish
- Zodiac sign: Cancer
- Current team: Barcelona and the Spain national team
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Sergio Busquets has appeared on the field 462 times in his Primera División. His career in the division started on 13th September 2008.
In the previous season, he made 36 Primera División appearances and scored two goals. He has made 11 appearances overall n the 2022/2023 matches.
9. Declan Rice - West Ham United
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Declan Rice
- Date of birth: 14th January 1999
- Age: 24 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
- Nationality: British
- Zodiac sign: Capricorn
- Current team: West Ham United and the England national team
Declan Rice has appeared in each of West Ham United's 14 Premier League matches in 2022/2023. The dedicated player has netted one Premier League goal in the 2022/2023 season.
He made his debut in the Premier League fixture at West Ham United on 21st May 2017. Declan has made 181 appearances in his Premier League career, scoring seven goals.
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8. Frenkie de Jong - Barcelona
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Frenkie de Jong
- Date of birth: 12th May 1997
- Age: 25 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Arkel, Netherlands
- Nationality: Dutch
- Zodiac sign: Taurus
- Current team: Barcelona and the Netherlands national team
Frenkie de Jong made his Primera División debut on 16th August 2019. The 25-year-old athlete is signed with Barcelona and plays for the Netherlands national team.
Before joining Barcelona, Frenkie de Jong was at Ajax. He has made 12 appearances in the Primera División games in 2022/2023.
7. Marcelo Brozović - Inter Milan
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Marcelo Brozović
- Date of birth: 16th November 1992
- Age: 30 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Zagreb, Croatia
- Nationality: Croatian
- Zodiac sign: Scorpio
- Current team: Inter Milan and the Croatia national team.
Did you know Marcelo Brozović made his competition debut on 1st February 2015? He has appeared 241 times in Serie A games and scored 24 goals.
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The Croatian athlete was signed with Dinamo Zagreb before joining Inter Milan. He has made eight appearances for his current team in the Serie A matches in 2022/2023.
6. Wilfred Ndidi - Leicester City
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Onyinye Wilfred Ndidi
- Date of birth: 16th December 1996
- Age: 26 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Lagos, Nigeria
- Nationality: Nigerian
- Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
- Current team: Leicester City and the Nigeria national team
Onyinye Wilfred Ndidi made his Premier League debut at 20 on 14th January 2017. The Nigerian athlete is currently signed with Leicester City.
He has made nine appearances in his team's Premier League games in 2022/2023. Before joining Leicester City in January 2017, he was signed with Genk.
5. Fabinho - Liverpool
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Fábio Henrique Tavares
- Date of birth: 23rd October 1993
- Age: 29 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Zodiac sign: Libra
- Current team: Liverpool and the Brazil national team
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Fábio Henrique Tavares, commonly known as Fabinho, is signed with Liverpool. He also plays for the Brazil national team. He debuted in a Premier League fixture for Liverpool on 20th October 2018.
Fabinho has featured in every one of their 13 Premier League games in 2022/2023. He joined Liverpool in July 2018. Before then, he was signed with Monaco.
4. Casemiro - Manchester United
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Carlos Henrique Casimiro
- Date of birth: 23rd February 1992
- Age: 31 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: São José dos Campos, State of São Paulo, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Zodiac sign: Pisces
- Current team: Manchester United and the Brazil national team
Manchester United signed Casemiro in August 2022. Before then, the athlete played for Real Madrid.
In Manchester United's Premier League games in 2022/2023, he has made ten appearances and scored one goal. He is considered one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and of his generation.
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3. Rodri - Manchester City
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Rodrigo Hernández Cascante
- Date of birth: 22nd June 1996
- Age: 26 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Madrid, Spain
- Nationality: Spanish
- Zodiac sign: Cancer
- Current team: Manchester City and the Spain national team
Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, commonly known as Rodri, joined Manchester City from Atlético Madrid. He made his debut appearance for his new team on 10th August 2019.
The 26-year-old has assisted three Premier League goals for his teammates in the Premier League games in 2022/2023. His tackling prowess often deters opponents from passing through the lines.
2. N'Golo Kanté - Chelsea
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: N'Golo Kanté
- Date of birth: 29th March 1991
- Age: 31 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Paris, France
- Nationality: French
- Zodiac sign: Aries
- Current team: Chelsea and the France national team
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N'Golo Kanté is a famous French athlete currently signed with Chelsea. He also plays for the France national team. Kanté joined Chelsea in July 2016 from Leicester City.
The athlete has only made two appearances in Chelsea's Premier League games in 2022/2023. Both of his appearances this season have been as a starter. Despite his few appearances this season, he ranks second on the list of the best defensive midfielders.
1. Joshua Kimmich - Bayern Munich
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Joshua Walter Kimmich
- Date of birth: 8th February 1995
- Age: 28 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Rottweil, Germany
- Nationality: German
- Zodiac sign: Aquarius
- Current team: Bayern Munich and the Germany national team
Joshua Kimmich is arguably the best midfielder in the world today. He is currently signed with Bayern Munich and also plays for the Germany national team.
The athlete is of enormous quality and is versatile in both attacking and defensive roles. In the previous season, he made 28 Bundesliga appearances and scored three goals. He has appeared in each of his team's 13 2022/2023 Bundesliga games.
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Who is a defensive midfielder?
A defensive midfielder is a midfield player who focuses on protecting their team's goal. S/he can defend a zone in front of their team's defence or man marks specific opposition attackers.
Who are the best defensive midfielders in the world?
Some of the best defensive midfielders in the world are Joshua Kimmich, N'Golo Kanté, Rodri, Casemiro, Fabinho, Wilfred Ndidi, Marcelo Brozović, Frenkie de Jong, Declan Rice, and Sergio Busquets.
Who is the best defensive midfielder in the world?
Joshua Kimmich is arguably the best midfielder in the world right now. He plays for Bayern Munich and the Germany national team.
Who is the best defensive midfielder?
The best defensive midfielder right now is arguably Joshua Kimmich. He plays for Bayern Munich and the Germany national team.
Who is the best defending midfielder in the world in 2023?
Joshua Kimmich, who plays for Bayern Munich, is arguably the best midfielder in the world right now. He is closely followed by N'Golo Kanté, Rodri, Casemiro, Fabinho, and Wilfred Ndidi.
Who is the best defensive midfielder in Real Madrid?
The best defensive midfielder in Real Madrid today is Aurélien Tchouaméni. He made his debut in a Primera División fixture for Real Madrid on 14th August 2022.
Although midfielders are the most underrated soccer players in any given team, it is evident that they play an essential part in the club. The skills and talents presented by these top 10 best defensive midfielders in the world continue to wow audiences worldwide.
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