Who are the best midfielders in the world? Do Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham and Rodri rank in the top 10?

Midfielders are more valued than ever in football.

Those in the centre of the park generally cover the most distance in a match, and given they are typically charged with progressing the ball, they have the greatest influence on proceedings in both attacking and defensive directions.

With such a variety of midfielders operating today, it is difficult to make direct comparisons between the game's top stars, especially given that their roles vary significantly.

However, it is possible to consider the impact that individuals have on their team's relative success, and examine how important each player is to their side.

With this in mind, Sports Mole ranks the top 10 best midfielders in the world.

Top 10 best midfielders in the world

10. Bruno Fernandes (POR)

Years active: 13 (2012 - present)

Teams: Novara, Udinese, Sampdoria, Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Portugal

Career appearances: 676

Career goals & assists: 209 goals, 182 assists

International caps: 84

Trophies: 7

Bruno Fernandes is a new inclusion on this list, and he deserves his spot due to his immense service to Manchester United during a difficult period in the club's history.

The Portugal international has been performing in a midfield position for the Red Devils this season, and he has continued to make his mark, with Man United looking to push for the top four in 2025-26.

Fernandes has been one of Man United's best-ever signings in the Premier League era, while he will be hoping to lead Portugal to glory at the 2026 World Cup.

9. Jamal Musiala (GER)

Years active: 5 (2020 - present)

Teams: Bayern Munich, Germany

Career appearances: 257

Career goals & assists: 74 goals, 50 assists

International caps: 40

Trophies: 8

Bayern Munich's versatile playmaker Jamal Musiala is widely considered to be one of the best midfielders in world football, and one of the most exciting players to watch.

Known for his magnetic touch and silky dribbling, the German international has been part of the first-team setup since 2019, when he left Chelsea's youth setup to join the Bavarians.

Musiala made his debut in 2020, and became the Bundesliga champions' youngest ever goalscorer at 17 years and 205 days old when he netted in an 8-0 win over Schalke.

Since his introduction, the star has contributed to four top-flight titles and a UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup win, striking up a devastating dynamic with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Harry Kane and Michael Olise.

However, the 22-year-old suffered a broken leg and dislocated ankle as a result of a clash with Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma this summer, and fans will be hopeful that Musiala can return to bolster Bayern before the end of 2025.

8. Joao Neves (POR)

Years active: 3 (2022 - present)

Teams: Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal

Career appearances: 171

Career goals & assists: 16 goals, 13 assists

International caps: 18

Trophies: 5

One third of the PSG midfield that dominated in the 2024-25 Champions League, 20-year-old Neves was a standout performer alongside Vitinha and Ruiz.

The former Benfica man arrived with high expectations after a £60m switch from As Aguias, but he has shown the type of promise that caught Les Parisiens' attention in the first place.

The Portuguese youngster is not only known for his goal contributions, but he led the team's midfielders in terms of assists per 90 minutes last season.

7. Declan Rice (ENG)

Years active: 10 (2015 - present)

Teams: West Ham United, Arsenal, Republic of Ireland, England

Career appearances: 441

Career goals & assists: 39 goals, 44 assists

International caps: 73 (3 for Republic of Ireland)

Trophies: 1

Arsenal paid a club-record £105m to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United, and while many questioned the fee, the Gunners see him as being worth every penny.

The 26-year-old is a physical powerhouse in the box-to-box midfield role and his set pieces have been vital for the Londoners, most famously when he scored two free kicks in the same game against Real Madrid in the 2024-25 Champions League.

Rice is a new inclusion in the 10 list, and he had to be named due to his recent form.

6. Vitinha (POR)

Years active: 6 (2019 - present)

Teams: Porto, Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan), Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal

Career appearances: 297

Career goals & assists: 34 goals, 26 assists

International caps: 33

Trophies: 11

Key to Paris Saint-Germain's remarkable success in 2024-25, versatile all-action midfielder Vitinha has risen to the fore as one of the best in the world.

The 25-year-old earned his stripes coming through the youth ranks at Porto to reach the first team, and while he was not at his best during a loan spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020-21, he has since found his place in France.

With the Portugal international at the base of Enrique's midfield trio alongside Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz, Les Parisien were undoubtedly the strongest team in Europe on their way to lifting the Champions League last season.

During their campaign in UEFA's premier club competition, PSG beat Liverpool at Anfield to progress, and while the likes of Ousmane Dembele took the headlines, it was Vitinha and his partners in the centre of the park that controlled proceedings for 120 minutes.

As is the case for a number of players on this list, a combination of technical excellence, composure and tenacity makes the Portuguese star standout, and if he continues at this rate, he should add significantly to his trophy haul over the next few years.

5. Rodri (ESP)

Years active: 10 (2015 - present)

Teams: Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Spain

Career appearances: 503

Career goals & assists: 37 goals, 41 assists

International caps: 59

Trophies: 11

Ballon d'Or winner Rodri was crowned the best player in the world in 2024, fighting off competition from Vinicius Junior to claim football's top prize.

The former Atletico Madrid man is a crucial component of Manchester City's playstyle, as while they regularly control possession in matches, they can be vulnerable to counter-attacks, and Rodri's ability to recover the ball quickly keeps the backline protected.

However, the 29-year-old suffered an anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injury against Arsenal in September 2024, and his club went on to record their worst top-flight finish since 2016-17.

While City's struggles cannot all be attributed to his absence, it speaks volumes to the Spanish defensive midfielder's value that Guardiola's side failed to win the Premier League in 2024-25 after four consecutive triumphs.

The Citizens will be desperate to see their star midfielder return to the same standards that he set prior to his injury, and if he is able to perform on a consistent basis, then the Sky Blues are sure to be title challengers once again.

4. Moises Caicedo (ECU)

Years active: 6 (2019 - present)

Teams: Independiente del Valle, Brighton & Hove Albion, Beerschot (loan), Chelsea, Ecuador

Career appearances: 268

Career goals & assists: 20 goals, 26 assists

International caps: 56

Trophies: 2

Defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo was another big-money deal that occurred during the tumultuous first few transfer windows under Todd Boehly, when Chelsea beat Liverpool to what was a British record £115m signing in the summer of 2023.

The Ecuadorian star made up half of a world-class midfield duo with Mac Allister at Brighton & Hove Albion, but he found it difficult to adjust to life in London and struggled to build chemistry with his new teammates.

It took until the latter half of 2023-24 for Caicedo to show the Premier League why the Blues stumped up the nine-figure sum to secure his services, but his combination of defensive nous and composed passing made him one of the best players in the top flight.

In 2024-25, the 23-year-old was a strong performer from start to finish, featuring in all 38 league games and ranking above other top-class midfielders such as Gravenberch and Declan Rice in almost every metric from the number of tackles and ground duels won to pass completion percentages.

Given his young age and high ceiling, he could yet develop further and be seen as one of the division's all-time best in his position in the years to come.

3. Federico Valverde (URU)

Years active: 10 (2015 - present)

Teams: Penal, Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruna (loan), Uruguay

Career appearances: 477

Career goals & assists: 43 goals, 41 assists

International caps: 71

Trophies: 15

Whether playing on the right side of midfield, at right back or on the right wing, Real Madrid's Federico Valverde can be relied upon to deliver when it matters most.

The hard working Uruguayan can often be overlooked given the embarrassment of riches in the Los Blancos forward line, but his relentless running keeps the team going and has pushed the side over the line to more than a few trophies.

Valverde is a fan-favourite for good reason, and his combination of an intense, physical playstyle with impressive technical ability makes him the envy of managers around the world.

The 27-year-old was named vice-captain by Alonso ahead of the 2025-26 season, highlighting the new boss' trust in his leadership considering that nominal club captain Dani Carvajal is unlikely to feature as regularly as in the past.

Valverde has made the La Liga team of the season for the past three years on the bounce, lifted the domestic title three times and won the Champions League twice amongst his other accolades at Madrid, and his honours list is very likely to grow in the upcoming campaign.

2. Pedri (ESP)

Years active: 6 (2019 - present)

Teams: Las Palmas, Barcelona, Spain

Career appearances: 290

Career goals & assists: 37 goals, 34 assists

International caps: 38

Trophies: 6

One of the few bright spots during a difficult few years for Barcelona, Pedri is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world.

He joined the club from Las Palmas in 2020 after a pre-arranged fee that has been said to be in the region of £20m, with the Catalan giants taking a gamble on a then 17-year-old who had less than one full season under his belt.

However, Pedri was included in the first-team plans of Ronald Koeman 2020-21, making 52 appearances for La Blaugrana, but due to being physically unprepared for excessive amounts of senior football, he suffered a series of injuries in the years that followed.

Regardless, the midfield maestro continued to make his mark, helping Barca on their way to two La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey wins, while also contributing to Spain's 2023 Nations League victory and Euro 2024 triumph.

In 2024-25 under Hansi Flick, a now 22-year-old Pedri played in 37 league games - his most since he featured in 37 in 2020-21 - and was in the best form of his career as he brought the title back to Barcelona.

1. Jude Bellingham (ENG)

Years active: 6 (2019 - present)

Teams: Birmingham City, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, England

Career appearances: 331

Career goals & assists: 75 goals, 66 assists

International caps: 43

Trophies: 6

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham has been on the radar of football fans for six years now, since his days as a 16-year-old at Birmingham City.

He would later move to Borussia Dortmund, where he announced himself on the world stage with a number of standout performances for the Black and Yellow in the Bundesliga and Champions League.

A £115m transfer to Los Blancos later, and the England regular is a household name known for his goalscoring exploits and penchant for netting in clutch moments.

For example, England were losing 1-0 to Slovakia in the round of 16 at Euro 2024, but Bellingham levelled the tie with a spectacular overhead kick with just seconds remaining in the 95th minute, before Kane found a winner in extra time.

The Madrid star also famously produced 23 goals and 13 assists during his debut season in Spain, and though his numbers were not as high in 2024-25, a return of 14 goals and 13 assists still represents an excellent campaign for a midfielder.

Bellingham is number one on our list considering current form.