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Goalscorers might take all the plaudits in football but the playmakers have the toughest job on the pitch. The unique caliber of dislodging opposition defenses is extremely rare and it is even harder to execute on the pitch.
Playmakers have the job of creating chances so that the strikers can score a goal. Scoring goals is not easy by any means. But a good playmaker always makes the task easy for the sharpshooters with a mouthwatering passage of play.
Playmakers are extremely integral to any team as they can pick out their teammates with pinpoint accuracy and create spaces on the pitch. Usually, a playmaker possesses technical proficiency and the tactical intelligence to be decisive on the pitch.
Over the years, players like Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Garrincha and Zico have etched their names in football history with their exceptional playmaking. On that note, let's take a look at five of the best playmakers of the 21st century.
Special mention: Mesut Ozil, Ronaldinho, Kaka, David Silva, Steven Gerrard, Andrea Pirlo and Thomas Muller.
#5 Luka Modric
Luka Modric has been one of the premier playmakers of the 21st century. Along with Toni Kroos and Casemiro, Modric has formed one of the greatest midfield trios of the last decade.
The Croatian great was an integral part of the Real Madrid side which went on to win three consecutive Champions League titles. He remains a key part of the team.
In addition to his exploits for Los Blancos, Modric led his national team to the 2018 World Cup final. The midfielder broke the duopoly of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo by winning the coveted Ballon d'Or award in 2018.
Modric had the unique trait of dictating the rhythm of the match, with his wide passing range and tactical intelligence on the pitch. At 36, he has featured in over 400 matches for the Spanish giants. He has proved himself to be one of the best playmakers of the 21st century.
#4 Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta has won everything there is to win for his club and country. The Spanish maestro was a vital cog of Barcelona and Spain's golden generation, who enjoyed immense success from 2008.
Iniesta was the fulcrum of the tiki-taka philosophy and enjoyed unattainable feats with Spain and Barcelona. Blessed with superior ball control, vision and dribbling, he could unlock defenses with utter ease.
Iniesta was also one of the biggest big game players, often elevating and grabbing headlines with his performances in the finals. The 2010 World Cup final was one such occasion where Iniesta's solitary goal gave Spain victory over the Netherlands.
#3 Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane is widely regarded as one of the best playmakers to ever grace the pitch. He dominated world football in the late 90s and early years of the 21st century. The Frenchman left an incredible legacy and his impact on his club and country was unfathomable.
Zidane was extremely unpredictable on the pitch as he could do anything with his terrific skill-set. As a playmaker, the midfielder was able to pick out passes that were hard to read and also had the tactical intelligence to read the game. He possessed incredible technique, which was evident in his volley against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final.
Zidane won the World Cup for France in 1998, scoring a brace in the finale. He also won the Ballon d'Or that year.
He continued to perform at the highest level, which led Real Madrid to sign him for a then world-record fee of €77.5 million in 2001. The French playmaker's elegance, poise and grace remain unmatchable till date.
#2 Xavi Hernandez
It is impossible to compile a list of playmakers and miss out on Xavi. Like Iniesta and Messi, Xavi was also a La Masia graduate. He was the chief orchestrator and executor of the tiki-taka style of football on the pitch. He was the brains of Barcelona and Spain during his tenure, remaining one of the greatest playmakers in football history.
Playmakers often combine vision, precision, tactical intelligence and technical ability - Xavi had all that. The Spanish playmaker dictated the tempo of the game and often signified his team's movements on the pitch. Blessed with pinpoint accuracy, he could find his teammates anywhere and was always thinking multiple steps away from his opposition.
#1 Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is not only regarded as one of the all-time greats but also as one of the most complete forwards to play the game. Breaking through Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, Messi played over 770 games for Blaugrana and remains their greatest goalscorer ever.
In addition to scoring 672 goals for the Catalan giants, Messi also racked up a whopping 301 assists. He has the ability to get out of the trickiest of situations with utter ease, which helped create spaces for his teammates. The Argentine genius also possesses supreme vision to see the runs of forwards and provide them with venomous passes.
Messi started operating as a playmaker especially after the departure of Xavi and Iniesta. Barcelona needed someone who could create chances and Messi was happy to comply. He has a penchant for dropping deep to collect the ball and switching into a playmaker role to help his teams.
Following his contract expiry in the summer, Messi's services were secured by Ligue 1 giants PSG.
