In soccer, the role of the defensive midfielders is crucial. They are the architects behind the balance between defense and attack, often acting silently to allow the stars to shine. So to be among the greatest defensive midfielders of all time is no easy feat.
True fans of the sport have always recognized the importance of the defensive midfieldersin the structure of a team.
They are like the fulcrum, connecting all the parts for smooth operation.
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In defense, they intercept opposing attacks, turning the situation in their team’s favor in a matter of seconds. But that’s not all that makes them special.
These players are also offensive forces – their powerful shots and ability to change the course of the game are just some of their skills;
But who are the greatest defensive midfielders of all time?
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Greatest defensive midfielders of all time
Defensive midfielders are fundamental in any tactical soccer formation;
The greatest defensive midfielders of all time dominated the center of the pitch and contributed in both defense and attack, distributing precise passes, stealing the ball and even scoring goals from distance.
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This is a tribute to the greatest defensive midfielders soccer has ever seen. We’ll explore the brilliant careers of some of these legendary players who are considered to be the greatest defensive midfielders of all time.
From a physical point of view, the midfielder needs to have the stamina and agility to cover large areas of the pitch throughout the match.
But the greatest defensive midfielders of all time need to go further: they need to be able to follow the movements of their opponents and intercept passes, often with a Herculean effort to win the ball back.
The greatest defensive midfielders of all time must be proficient in marking and tackling techniques.
They need to have precise timing and an ability to anticipate in order to steal the ball from their opponents without committing unnecessary fouls.
The ability to make clean and effective tackles is fundamental to a midfielder’s success.
- Paulo Roberto Falcão
Titles: Gaucho Championship (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976), Brazilian Championship (1975, 1976), Italian Championship (1982), among others.
History: Born in 1953 in Abelardo Luz, Brazil, he began his professional career with Internacional in 1972, where he stood out as a leader on the pitch and a fans’ idol.
Curiosity: nicknamed “The King of Rome” during his time at the Italian club, he became one of the most adored players by Roma fans.
- Andrés Iniesta
Titles: World Cup (2010), European Championship (2008, 2012), UEFA Champions League (2005, 2008, 2010, 2014), La Liga (2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015), among others.
History: Born in 1984 in Fuentealbilla, Spain, he joined La Masia, Barcelona’s soccer academy, at the age of 12 and quickly stood out as an exceptional talent.
Curiosities: his extra-time goal in the 2010 World Cup final against the Netherlands gave Spain its first world title and went down in Spanish soccer history.
- Xavi Hernández
Titles: World Cup (2010), European Championship (2008, 2012), UEFA Champions League (2005, 20089, 2010), La Liga (2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015), among others.
History: Born in 1980 in Terrassa, Spain, Xavi excelled in Barcelona’s youth teams and made his first-team debut in 1998 at the age of 18.
Fun fact: he holds the record for the most games played for Barcelona, with over 750 appearances during his career.
- Andrea Pirlo
Titles: World Cup (2006), UEFA Champions League (2002, 2006), Italian Championship (2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), among others.
History: Born in 1979 in Flero, Italy, Pirlo began his career with Brescia and stood out as a cerebral midfielder, known for his vision and ability to distribute passes.
Curiosity: He popularized the “regista” style of play, a deep midfielder who dictates the pace of the game and launches attacks with precision.
- Lothar Matthäus
Titles: World Cup (1990), European Championship (1980), German Championship (1984, 1985, 1986, 1993), Italian Championship (1988), among others.
History: Born in 1961 in Erlangen, Germany, Matthäus has had a long and successful career, playing for clubs such as Bayern Munich and Internazionale, and representing the German national team in several World Cups.
Fun fact: he holds the record for the most games played for the German national team, with 150 matches;
- Javier Mascherano
Titles: Copa América (2004, 2007, 2021), UEFA Champions League (2010, 2014), La Liga (2010, 2012, 2014), among others.
History: Born in 1984 in San Lorenzo, Argentina, he began his career with River Plate before moving to Europe, where he played for clubs such as Corinthians, Liverpool and Barcelona.
Curiosity: Known as “El Jefecito” (the Little Boss), Mascherano was admired for his ability to break up plays and protect his team’s defense.
- Gennaro Gattuso
Titles: World Cup (2006), Italian Championship (2003, 2010), UEFA Champions League (2002, 2006), among others.
History: Born in 1978 in Corigliano Calabro, Italy, he began his professional career at Perugia before making a name for himself at Rangers and then Milan, where he reached the peak of his career.
Curiosity: Gattuso was known for his intensity and race on the pitch. He was an aggressive and tireless midfielder, capable of intimidating opponents and protecting his team’s defense.
- Claude Makélélé
Titles: English Championship (2004, 2005), Spanish Championship (2000, 2002), UEFA Champions League (2001), among others.
History: Born in 1973 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Makélélé has had a successful career, playing for clubs such as Real Madrid, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, and representing the French national team in various international competitions.
Curiosity: Makélélé is widely credited with popularizing the role of the modern “defensive midfielder”, known as the “Makélélé position”.
- Gérson
Titles: World Cup (1970), Brazilian Championship (1972, 1977), Carioca Championship (1964, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975), among others
History: was born in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, in 1941. He is one of the greatest defensive midfielders in the history of Brazilian soccer. Gérson began his career at Fluminense, where he stood out as a technical, intelligent and decisive player.
Curiosity: he became known as the “Golden Shoe” due to his exceptional ability with his left foot.
- Patrick Vieira
Titles: English Championship (1997, 2001, 2003), Italian Championship (2006, 2007, 2008), among others.
History: Born in 1976 in Dakar, Senegal, Vieira began his career with Cannes before moving to AC Milan and then Arsenal, where he reached the peak of his career.
Curiosities: he was a central figure in Arsenal’s legendary “Invincibles” team, which won the Premier League unbeaten in the 2003-04 season.
- Roy Keane
Titles: English Championship (1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002), UEFA Champions League (1998), among others.
History: Born in 1971 in Cork, Ireland, Keane spent most of his career at Manchester United, where he became one of the club’s most iconic captains.
Curiosity: he was one of the pillars of the legendary Manchester United team in the 1990s and 2000s, leading the team to several national and international titles.
- Dunga
Titles: World Cup (1994), Copa America (1989, 1997), Confederations Cup (1997), Italian Championship (1981), Gaucho Championship (1990), among others.
History: born in 1963 in Ijuí, Dunga had a successful career both as a player and as a coach, most notable for his role as captain of the Brazilian national team in winning the 1994 World Cup.
Curiosity: he was nicknamed “Dunga” by his childhood coach because of his physical resemblance to a comic book character.
- Bastian Schweinsteiger
Titles: World Cup (2014), UEFA Champions League (2012), Bundesliga (2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013), English Championship (2016), among others.
History: Born in 1984 in Kolbermoor, Germany, Schweinsteiger spent most of his career at Bayern Munich, where he stood out as one of the team’s leaders and a key figure in its achievements.
Curiosity: he was one of the pillars of the German team that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, being a key part of the team’s midfield.
- Johan Neeskens
Titles: Dutch Championship (1969, 1971, 1972, 1981), Spanish Championship (1973, 1984), among others.
History: Born in 1951 in Heemstede, Netherlands, Neeskens is best known for his time at Ajax and Barcelona, where he stood out as a versatile and complete player.
Curiosity: he was one of the protagonists of the legendary Netherlands team of the 1970s, known as the “Clockwork Orange”.
- Obdulio Varela
Titles: World Cup (1950)
History: Born in 1917 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Varela is best known for his leadership as captain of the Uruguayan national team at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
Curiosity: he played a crucial role in Uruguay’s historic victory in the 1950 World Cup, helping his team beat Brazil in the final.
List of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time
- Paulo Roberto Falcão
- Andrés Iniesta
- Xavi Hernández
- Andrea Pirlo
- Lothar Matthäus
- Javier Mascherano
- Gennaro Gattuso
- Claude Makélélé
- Gérson
- Patrick Vieira
- Roy Keane
- Dunga
- Bastian Schweinsteiger
- Johan Neeskens
- Obdulio Varela
The greatest defensive midfielders of all time in World Cup history
Now that you’ve seen the 15 greatest defensive midfielders of all time, let’s take a look back at some of the names that have left their mark on World Cup history: check out the greatest defensive midfielders of all time in World Cup history!
- Lothar Matthäus
In first place on the list of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time is Germany’s Matthäus. He played in 5 World Cups, playing 25 games and scoring 1 goal, as well as helping Germany win the 1990 title.
- Didi
Second place in the list of greatest defensive midfielders of all time goes to Brazilian Didi. He played in 3 World Cups, making 15 appearances and scoring 2 goals, as well as helping Brazil win the 1958 and 1962 titles.
- Xavi Hernández
In third place among the greatest defensive midfielders of all time is Barça star Xavi. The Spaniard has played in 4 World Cups, playing 15 matches, as well as leading Spain to their dream title in 2010.
- Paulo Roberto Falcão
In fourth place in the ranking of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time is Falcao. The Brazilian played in 3 World Cups, playing 5 games and scoring 3 goals, as well as being elected to the 1982 World Cup All-Star Team.
- Gérson
Gérson is fifth among the greatest defensive midfielders of all time. The Brazilian played in 2 World Cups, making 5 appearances and scoring 1 goal, as well as winning the championship with the Seleção in 1970.
- Andrea Pirlo
You can’t talk about the greatest defensive midfielders of all time without mentioning Pirlo. The Italian played in 3 World Cups, playing 11 games and scoring 1 goal, as well as winning the title with his country in 2006.
- Johan Neeskens
Seventh place goes to Neeskens, considered one of Holland’s greatest ever defensive midfielders. The Dutchman played in 2 World Cups, making 12 appearances and scoring 5 goals, as well as being elected to the 1974 World Cup All-Star Team.
- Bastian Schweinsteiger
Another great player to be named among the greatest defensive midfielders of all time is Schweinsteiger. The German played in 3 World Cups, playing 20 games and scoring 2 goals, as well as winning the championship with his country in 2014.
- Dunga
In second place, the eternal captain of the tetra, Dunga. The Brazilian played in 3 World Cups, playing 18 games and scoring 1 goal, as well as winning the title with the Seleção in 1994. His place among the greatest defensive midfielderss of all time at the World Cup is more than deserved!
- Osvaldo Ardiles
Rounding off our ranking of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time is Ardiles. The Argentinian played in 2 World Cups, playing 11 games and scoring 1 goal, as well as winning the championship with his country in 1978.
List of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time in World Cup history
- Lothar Matthäus
- Didi
- Xavi Hernández
- Paulo Roberto Falcão
- Gérson
- Andrea Pirlo
- Johan Neeskens
- Bastian Schweinsteiger
- Dunga
- Osvaldo Ardiles
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