The midfield serves as the backbone of a football team. A team that controls the action in the center of the field usually dominates the game and comes out on top. The roles in midfield have become quite specific as a result of the ways in which the modern game has evolved.
Several teams employ a double pivot in midfield, in which two defensive midfielders cover the backline. However, there are teams that play with just one defensive midfielder and a more attacking style of play.
A defensive midfielder's primary responsibility is to disrupt play and reclaim possession for his team. As a result, he is tasked with recycling possession and distributing the ball in order to assist his team in transitioning from defense to offense.
Without further ado, here are five of the world's best defensive midfielders this season.
Joshua Kimmich is one of the world's most versatile footballers. The German international can play in any midfield position and can also fill in at right back. Kimmich is currently one of the best deep-lying playmakers in the game.
He's been erratic this season, but we've seen plenty of glimpses of his talent. In the current Bundesliga season, Kimmich has the most passes played into the final third of the field. This season, he has 61 interceptions for Bayern Munich in the league.
Kimmich's ball-playing abilities are exceptional, and he has
Casemiro formed the most lethal midfield trio of the last decade, alongside the legendary Toni Kroos and the inimitable Luka Modric. They are still going strong, and Casemiro's aggressive style of play gives Real Madrid's midfield steel.
At the center of the pitch, the Brazilian international is a force to be reckoned with. This season, he ranks fourth in La Liga in tackles with 86. Casemiro also ranks fourth in Spain's top flight in interceptions with 53.
He is also relatively tidy in possession and has played an important role in Real Madrid's domestic and European campaigns this season.
During the current season, Liverpool has been one of Europe's most dominant teams. They have already won the League Cup and are still in contention for the quadruple this season. Liverpool is a difficult team to break down, and defensive midfielder Fabinho deserves a lot of credit for that.
If there were any doubts about Declan Rice's hype last summer, the player has done more than enough this season to dispel them. Rice has performed admirably in midfield for West Ham United in recent years.
Rodri has been fantastic for Manchester City at the base of the midfield. The Spanish international is one of the world's most intelligent footballers. He is also one of the world's most well-rounded midfielders right now.
Pep Guardiola's team can play an attacking brand of football thanks to his positioning, tactical knowledge, and spatial awareness. Rodri almost always does the work of two midfielders. This season, he averages 87.58 passes per game in the Premier League.
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