5 best central midfielders in the world right now based on ratings

There are many good central midfielders in the game at the moment.

There is no position on the football pitch in the modern game that is easy to play. That is partially due to the rise in significance of full-backs and wingers. One area of the field that is arguably the most difficult to play in is central midfield. That is primarily due to games being won or lost in the middle of the park more often than not.

While central midfielders seldom get their due credit, their influence on proceedings cannot be understated. Centre-backs and strikers are mainly judged based on their defensive and attacking skills. However, central midfielders need to be equally adept in defending, dribbling and shooting, while also being great passers of the ball.

Six central midfielders have won the #UCLFinal Man of the Match this century:

🇫🇷 Zinedine Zidane
🇵🇹 Deco
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Steven Gerrard
🇪🇸 Xavi
🇪🇸 Andrés Iniesta
🇫🇷 N'Golo Kanté

He's in good company. 😏 twitter.com/SquawkaNews/st…

When one thinks of great midfielders of the 21st century, the Spanish duo of Xavi and Iniesta spring to mind. The Premier League has also been blessed with world-class box-to-box midfielders such as Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes.

There are many talented central midfielders among active players as well. Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Marco Verratti have been sublime throughout their careers. However, are they the best among the current lot?

Let’s find out as we rank the five best central midfielders in the world right now based on ratings (as per WhoScored).

#5 Toni Kroos - 7.2

RCD Espanyol vs Real Madrid CF - La Liga Santander

Toni Kroos has been one of the best central midfielders of his generation. The Bayern Munich prodigy was snapped up by Real Madrid after his fine displays at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Considering Kroos’ €25 million transfer fee, the German midfielder’s acquisition was one of the best deals of the 2010s.

Kroos has formed a terrific partnership with Luka Modric, winning three consecutive Champions League trophies. Despite having a few sub-par seasons, he still ranks among the best players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

2021: Toni Kroos passing masterclass against Liverpool 🎯

@ToniKroos | @realmadriden | #UCL https://t.co/7BbOipVQ5T

The Real Madrid No.8 has put his pin-point passing ability to significant effect by providing three assists in La Liga this season. The 32-year-old has also scored three goals across competitions for Los Blancos, including a couple in the Champions League.

#4 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic - 7.4

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is one of the best central midfielders in Europe in terms of goal contributions.

The Lazio talisman’s 22 goal involvements (ten goals and 12 assists) in 2021 were more than any player in Europe’s top five leagues. He has started 2022 on fire, accumulating two goals and two assists in only four Serie A games.

Milinkovic-Savic is having the best season of his career. His seven goals and nine assists in 22 Serie A games are impressive numbers. He is just two goal contributions away from equalling his most prolific season (18 goals and assists) in 2020-21).

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is having another standout season for Lazio in the Serie A:

🏟 21 games
⚽️ 7 goals
🅰️ 8 assists
🔑 31 key passes
📊 82.5% passing accuracy

Magician. https://t.co/hfcXiHPHH2

The Serbian midfielder is a few weeks away from his 27th birthday. It is astounding how no top European club has signed him yet. In an era where most teams play a 4-3-3 system, Milinkovic-Savic would be the ideal goalscoring midfielder.