Claude Makelele Snubs Declan Rice, Joshua Kimmich as He Names Midfielder Better than Him

• Claude Makelele made an interesting pick on a midfielder better than him
• The former Chelsea man is widely considered a master in defensive midfield
• He snubbed Declan Rice and Joshua Kimmich, instead picking a Man United star

Claude Makelele made an interesting pick when he was tasked to name a defensive midfielder he believes is better than him.

When it comes to defensive midfield duty, no one comes close to the former Chelsea and Real Madrid man.

Fans with long memories will recall just how good the Frenchman was in his heyday, particularly during his time at Stamford Bridge.

The 51-year-old made 217 appearances and won five major trophies in five years at Chelsea before leaving the Blues for Paris Saint Germain in 2008.

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Despite being almost unplayable in the middle of the park in his prime, Makelele believes one player of the modern era is superior to him.

Makelele snubs Declan Rice

In a recent video shared by GOAL, Makelele was asked to be quiet until he heard the name of a defensive midfielder better than him.

Surprisingly, the 51-year-old stayed quiet when Arsenal’s record signing Declan Rice’s name was called out.

He also ignored other big names, past and present, including Edgar Davids, Joshua Kimmich, Danielle de Rossi, Roy Keane and even Gennaro Gattuso.

Instead, Makelele spoke out when he heard Manchester United star Casemiro’s name called out.

“Yes, Makelele said. “Because he’s young, it’s a new generation. He reminds me of my generation.”

Casemiro for Man United

Casemiro was signed by United last year from Real Madrid for £70 million, and the Brazilian has been crucial for Erik ten Hag’s side, despite being unpredictable at times.

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More recently, the 31-year-old scored a crucial winner against Nottingham Forest to help United advance to the next round of the FA Cup.

He has played a total of 1090 minutes in the Premier League this season, with fitness issues being his main enemy for large parts of the campaign.

Casemiro’s best days as a football player were surely when he was at Real Madrid, as he formed part of the formidable squad that won five Champions League titles, per Transfermarkt.

Jorginho names 5 best Premier League players

Elsewhere, Sports Brief reported on the best players in the Premier League, according to Jorginho.

In his top five, the Arsenal man included the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne, while also making a surprise pick by naming his former teammate at Chelsea.