Who are the top 10 greatest ranked football midfielders of all time?

The most crucial aspect of modern football is dominating the midfield. The midfield has always been the engine of great teams throughout history. For instance, the Spanish trio Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets. Come with us as we discuss the greatest midfielders of all time.

Some teams and squads entire philosophies are based on the strength of their midfield and the talent of their midfielders. With so many best soccer midfielders of all time to choose from, picking the best of the best is a difficult task. Let us look at the top ten greatest midfielders of all time.

Who are the top 10 midfielders of all time?

Using the most recent statistics, we have compiled a list of the top ten greatest midfielders of all time. They are also FIFA's top 10 midfielders of all time.

10. Luis Figo

Luis Figo, the Portuguese playmaker second in La Liga assists behind Lionel Messi, helped the Catalans win three consecutive Spanish titles. After winning the Ballon D'Or, he moved to Real Madrid.

He won the club's first title alongside new signings Claude Makélélé, one of the greatest defensive midfielders, Steve McManaman, Roberto Carlos, Raul, and Fernando Morientes. He also won four more trophies during his time in Inter.

9. Andrea Pirlo

Pirlo led Italy's midfield for 13 years, winning Serie A with AC Milan before adding four consecutive titles with Juventus. The calmness with which he played his game and his ability to pick out the right pass made him one of the greatest Italian players of all time.

In addition, Andrea Pirlo's skill with the dead ball resulted in numerous crucial goals and breakthroughs for both his club and his country.

8. Didi

Waldyr Pereira, also known as Didi, is widely regarded as the country's most excellent central midfielder among several outstanding footballers. Didi, the 1958 World Cup tournament winner, was the brains behind Pele and Garrincha's incredible feats with the Brazilian national team.

Didi was the best of his generation and one of the greatest Brazilian players of all time. IFFHS ranked him as the seventh greatest Brazilian player of the twentieth century.

7. Lothar Matthaus

Lothar Matthaus, Germany's all-time leading scorer, also holds the record for most World Cup appearances by a single player at 25. In Italia '90, he captained Die Mannschaft to victory over England, winning the Ballon d'Or.

He captained both Bayern Munich and the German national team. The legend also had a successful spell at Inter Milan before returning to Bayern Munich, where he developed his game into that of a sweeper in his later years.

6. Xavi

Is Xavi the greatest midfielder ever? This is a question that has been debated after his retirement. The legend is always included in any top best midfielders of all time 2021 list. The Spaniard is one of the most decorated players in the game's history, having won nearly every trophy and honour.

Xavi was the primary catalyst for Barcelona and the Spanish national team's glorious success from 2006 to 2014. He was one of the Best box-to-box midfielders of all time.

5. Ronaldinho

The Brazilian won the Ballon d'Or in 2005, making him one of the most entertaining players in history because he appeared to be having a good time. Frank Lampard, a veteran centerman, said of Ronaldinho, "I'd never seen a player like that." So as I watched him play in the Champions League, I thought to myself, 'Wow, this player is from another planet than the rest of us."

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4. Zinedine Zidane

France's Zinedine Zidane had a vision, accuracy, and Gallic elegance. He was also good with his head. "He was as graceful as a dancer – he even used the soles of his boots effectively," said Franco Baresi, a legendary Italian defender who won the Ballon d'Or in 1998. "Everything was easy for him; he made such movements that I'd break my legs if I tried to imitate them."

3. Andres Iniesta

He has strategic passing skills, incredible vision, and an uncanny knack for performing. Iniesta and Xavi were, without a doubt, the best central midfield partnership in the game's history.

2. Michel Platini

Only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won more Ballon d'Or awards than Frenchman Michel Platini, who tied with Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten. Ronaldo broke Platini's Euros scoring record of nine goals at Euro '21.

Platini's 14 goals came in the 1984 tournament, taking the Portuguese star 25 matches (five games). "The way he shone with France and Juventus, and his capacity for taking free-kicks, made him the European footballer of the 1980s," Pele says.

1. Diego Maradona

While Peter Shilton may disagree, Diego Maradona is the most gifted midfielder in the game's history. "Undoubtedly, the best of the bunch," said Brazilian legend Zico. "In my generation, in my era, he was simply the best. "He was always being watched, and he could always conjure up beautiful pieces of magic. He was the best midfielder of all time."

This position has a slew of well-known players, and they can exert significant influence on the outcome of games. England's Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, and Michael Laudrup feature in the top 20 greatest midfielders of all time. Including Johan Cruyff, David Beckham, Johan Neeskens, Luka Modric, and more.

Midfielders play an equally important role on the soccer field. There are more than 50 greatest midfielders of all time who did not appear on the list. Best African midfielders such as Samuel Etoo, George Weah, and Jay-Jay Okocha are some of the greatest EPL midfielders of all time. We cannot forget to mention the likes of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs.

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