There's always huge debate surrounding the greatest midfielders of all time, with many differing opinions among fans. It will always be a subjective matter - as is the case with almost everything in football - but certain factors can be taken into consideration.

The likes of Zinedine Zidane, Andrea Pirlo, Xavi Hernandez and Lothar Matthaus are all viable options. But there are also plenty of Premier League legends to be considered, spearheaded by the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes.

It's relatively easy to go through and simply name the best. However, when it comes to actually sorting the finest of the lot, well, that's when things become challenging. But here at GiveMeSport, we've had a go at ranking the 35 of the greatest central midfielders in recent history.

Ranking factors

Given how incredibly divisive this list is, several ranking factors will be taken into account. These include:

• Personal awards - Either the Ballon d'Or, World Player of the Year award, Golden Foot or a league's player of the season.
• Major trophies won - Only the two biggest European competitions, any league titles or the main domestic cup are included.
• Impact and influence on the game - Significant goals or performances in big cup finals or important league matches.
• Importance to their team - The tactical role they play in the team's overall performance.
• Iconic moments - Goals or signature celebrations in important moments.

Greatest Central Midfielders: 35-31

Federico Valverde has established himself as one of the best central midfielders in the world since joining Real Madrid from his boyhood club Penarol in 2016. During his time so far at the Spanish giants, he has won the Champions League twice and La Liga on three occasions. Still very much in his prime, Valverde will be hopeful of more silverware in the future. Joshua Kimmich is three years older, but he has also won the Champions League and is renowned as one of the best midfielders in the world due to his versatility and tactical awareness.

More understated stars like Ilkay Gundogan and Fernandinho also deserve a spot on the list. Both midfielders are experienced professionals who won multiple domestic titles with Manchester City under the management of coaching legend Pep Guardiola.

Jude Bellingham is still in his early 20s, but it feels like he's been around for decades. Since making his debut for Birmingham City in 2019, his career trajectory has been nothing short of remarkable. In the 2023/24 season, he won La Liga and the Champions League, scoring 23 goals in the process – he has maintained impressive form ever since. Showing just how special he is, the Englishman surpassed Zinedine Zidane's goal tally for Real Madrid (49), scoring 50 goals for Los Blancos in 73 fewer games.

Greatest Central Midfielders: 30-21

Paul Pogba has been somewhat inconsistent during his career, but there have been times when he's looked almost unplayable. The former Manchester United man, whose four-year sporting ban ended early in March 2025, just before his 32nd birthday – having been reduced to 18 months – is arguably talented enough to have finished higher on this list with his passing range and all-round confidence something to be admired, but let himself down when it came to doing it regularly. Bastian Schweinsteiger was once a leading midfielder in Germany before injuries, which have also plagued Pogba, blighted his twilight years.

By comparison, Roy Keane, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien are all defined by their consistency as dependable holding midfielders. Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas and Mesut Ozil make up three of the finest passers of a football the world has ever seen. The trio were all sensational when it came to keeping possession for their respective sides and were the best in the business at controlling games from the centre of the pitch. Ozil's unerring creativity is reflected by his status as one of the players with the most international assists in the 21st century.

Greatest Central Midfielders: 20-11

Toni Kroos was an integral part of the all-conquering Real Madrid side for many years before retiring at the age of 34. Moving at the same spell-binding but pedestrian pace as the German, Juan Roman Riquelme is often overlooked and underrated in the modern day, but the Argentine was sublime to watch at the peak of his powers and is rightfully placed high on the list.

Spain conductor Rodri also features in this section and is rightly regarded as one of the best central midfield players in Premier League history. The defensive midfielder won the 2024 Ballon d'Or - and rightly so. Before his injury, the Spaniard was the most important player in an all-conquering Manchester City team. Instrumental for his country, too, Rodri deservedly won the Player of the Tournament award after Spain beat England in the Euro 2024 final, and then picked up the same award two years later at the 2026 World Cup.

Sergio Busquets and Yaya Toure became two of the most influential figures ever seen in the middle of the park with wildly different attributes. They shared the same lofty footballing intelligence, but Toure was a powerful force that couldn't be stopped when he got into full flow, while Busquets at his best let the ball do most of the work.

Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes all place high on the list. The two English midfielders have certain advantages over each other, with Lampard being the better goalscorer and finisher of the duo, while Scholes dictated play almost at ease in the middle of the park for the best team in Premier League history with an unrivalled technical ability and passing range. This leaves just Steven Gerrard left from one of the most heated debates in English game, as he ranks inside the top 10 for his extraordinary performances for club and country.

Greatest Central Midfielders: 10-6

Entering the top 10 is the timeless Kaka. The elusive attacking midfielder lifted the Ballon d'Or in 2007, just before the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era set in. He goes down as one of Brazil's greatest-ever players after playing a starring role in the dominant AC Milan team of the 2000s. Also joining him is his former teammate, Clarence Seedorf. The Dutchman remains the only player to lift the Champions League with three separate clubs, which is quite an astonishing achievement itself. He did so once with Ajax in 1995, once with Real Madrid in 1998, and twice with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007.

Kevin De Bruyne and the aforementioned Steven Gerrard make the list as world-leading players throughout Premier League history. The former is up there with the very best technicians we have ever seen in world football and would hold his own with anyone in that regard. Left foot, right foot - it doesn't matter for the majestic Belgian playmaker, as he has consistently served up chances for his teammates.

Michael Laudrup just missed out on a place in the top five. He won an impressive 16 trophies throughout his illustrious career, including Barcelona's first European Cup and five La Liga titles, four with the Blaugrana and one with their fierce rivals, Real Madrid. Laudrup is placed seventh on Denmark's all-time goalscorer list with 37 strikes from midfield - just three goals shy of a place in the top four.

5 Lothar Matthaus

1978–2000

Lothar Matthaus lifted the Ballon d'Or in 1990 and is one of Germany's greatest-ever players. He won the FIFA World Cup with his country in the same year and has an incredible 20 trophies to his name. Among those pieces of silverware are seven Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich and a Serie A crown at Inter Milan.

Matthaus also claimed the European Championship with Germany in 1980 at the start of his glittering career. The former international captain is arguably overlooked when it comes to discussing the greatest players in the game. This is perhaps due to recency bias, but there is no doubting just how good Matthaus was for his respective clubs and on the international stage with Germany.

4 Andres Iniesta

2000–2024

Andres Iniesta formed a formidable partnership with Xavi Hernandez for Barcelona and Spain. They complemented each other perfectly and were arguably the best midfield duo in the world for several years. Iniesta is still going strong at the age of 39 and is currently plying his trade in the United Arab Emirates.

The former Barcelona star has won a staggering 40 trophies during an exceptional career, 32 of which were in the Catalan capital. Iniesta also had great success with Spain during the nation's golden era. The diminutive playmaker was a fixture of the side that won three consecutive major international tournaments between 2008 and 2012, scoring the decisive goal in the 2010 World Cup final to overcome the Netherlands.

3 Xavi Hernandez

1997–2019

Alongside Iniesta, Xavi was a mainstay in those legendary Barcelona and Spain sides. His understanding of the game, when to pass the ball, when to keep it and his positioning were all exquisite. The midfield maestro, like Iniesta, won an incredible number of trophies throughout his fantastic career.

Xavi won 25 of his 32 trophies with Barcelona, including four Champions League titles and eight La Liga crowns. His influence on the sport has been huge, and numerous players have looked at how the proud Catalan played and tried to incorporate it into their own game. Xavi is rightly regarded as a Barcelona and Spain legend, and he deservedly has a place in the top three.

2 Luka Modric

2003 - present

Luka Modric can consider himself the greatest ever Croatian player. Given the superb players they’ve had over the years, that is quite an accolade. His longevity and desire to remain at the top are evident in his 1000+ appearances over the last 24 years for club and country.

The midfield master won six European titles with Real Madrid, but it was his performances for Croatia at the 2018 World Cup - in which his side finished as runners-up - that ended the Messi-Ronaldo dominance of the Ballon d'Or, when he was crowned the world's best footballer in the same year. Now in his 40s, Modric is still playing at the highest level of European football with Italian heavyweights AC Milan.

1 Zinedine Zidane

1989–2006

When it comes to the greatest central midfield player of all time, there can only be one and that right is reserved for a very special player, Zinedine Zidane. The Frenchman - considered to be one of the footballers who retired too early - was more of an artist than an athlete, gracefully gliding about the pitch in a seemingly gravity-defying manner when you consider his towering 6ft 2in frame.

Zidane won everything there was to win in the game, both individually and with his teams. He even scored two winning goals in the 1998 World Cup final to defeat Brazil, as well as arguably the greatest Champions League goal of all time in the 2002 final against Bayer Leverkusen. The ultimate big game player, there was no stage he wouldn't thrive on, and is rightfully regarded as the best in the world in his position.