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The midfield is the spine of any football team. A team can have world-class defenders and strikers, but if they lose all their battles in midfield, they will crumble. A well-balanced midfield lends an incredible amount of stability to the side and it makes the job of the defenders and the attackers easier.
Most managers prefer to use a three-man midfield these days. Some use a double pivot in defensive midfield with one attacking midfielder operating ahead of them. This is the safer option. But there are plenty of coaches who use a single defensive midfielder with two central midfielders dictating play in front of him.
Manchester City are famous for using this formation. Rodri sits deep while Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva operate ahead of him.
Some teams use a diamond formation in the centre of the pitch with four midfielders. But that's starting to become a bit of a rarity these days. Without further ado, let's take a look at the five club teams that have the best midfield at the moment.
#5 Chelsea
Chelsea have some extraordinary technicians in midfield. Their midfield is filled with players who have all garnered plenty of praise and accolades over the past several years. Their main midfield options are Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante and Mason Mount.
Jorginho is one of the best holding midfielders on the planet. He can combine well with Kante in a double midfield pivot. Kovacic and Jorginho can do the same too. While Kante has struggled with niggling injury issues of late, it's the Croatian and the Italian who've held it down for the Blues.
In 2021, Jorginho won the 'UEFA Men's Player of the Year' while Kante was named the 'UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Year'. Kovacic is one of the most technically gifted midfielders on the planet. He is arguably one of the most well-rounded midfielders in football right now.
Kovacic excels at winning the ball back, playing slick passes and also at running with it. Up ahead in attacking midfield, Chelsea have Mason Mount who is quickly establishing himself as one of the most creative players in the Premier League.
Chelsea have decent depth as well in midfield. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and the returning Billy Gilmour and Conor Gallagher make them an impressive unit.
#4 Liverpool
Liverpool are yet another Premier League side with a well-balanced midfield. Jurgen Klopp's side are not entirely dependent on their midfielders to create the bulk of their chances as that responsibility is shared with the full-backs.
As such, Liverpool's midfield is about efficiency and they're world-class at it. Fabinho sits at the base of midfield and the Brazilian does a stellar job of protecting his defence and starting attacks. He is a neat passer of the ball and also likes to arrive late into the final third and chip in with goals as well.
Thiago Alcantara is one of the best central midfielders in the world. His vision and passing range are exemplary and after a slow start to life at Liverpool, Thiago delivered big time in the 2021-22 season.
Naby Keita is more than just a box-to-box midfielder and is certainly one of the most dynamic midfielders currently plying their trade in the Premier League. Jordan Henderson is an all-action midfielder who is a dogged presence in the centre of the pitch and keeps things ticking in midfield for the Merseysiders.
With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones and Ben Woodburn, Liverpool have a fair bit of depth in midfield as well.
#3 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are a little different to the other units we've mentioned on this list. That's because the Bavarians are the only ones here that use a 4-2-3-1 setup. But due to their sheer effectiveness, they deserve a place on this list.
Joshua Kimmich is arguably the best deep-lying playmaker in the game right now. His game-reading skills and defensive acumen combined with his ability to dictate play from deep make him one of Bayern's prized assets.
Operating alongside him is his compatriot Leon Goretzka, an all-action midfielder whose game is just as well-rounded. Goretzka doubles up as aerial threat during set-pieces as well. He is also a very unrelenting presence in midfield and loves to get involved with the game on either side of the pitch.
Operating ahead of these two is Europe's assist king Thomas Muller. The self-proclaimed 'Raumdeuter' or space interpretor, is simply a cut above the rest when it comes to footballing intelligence. His movement and link-up play in and around the final third is the stuff of legends.
Together, they are one of the best midfield units in Europe. They also have incredible depth in midfield with Marcel Sabitzer, Jamal Musiala, Paul Wanner and Malik Tillman.
#2 Real Madrid
This Real Madrid midfield has already earned legendary status and there's not much that can be said about them that we haven't heard a 1000 times already. Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric have won four Champions League titles together.
Casemiro continues to be a tenacious presence ahead of the Real Madrid defence. His tackling and interception skills are elite and he has also become quite tidy in possession of late. Luka Modric is one of the most creative central midfielders of the 21st century.
His technique is immaculate and the Croatia international can whip out some incredible passes that could leave the opposition bamboozled. Toni Kroos oozes class and pulls the strings from midfield with an intimidating amount of confidence.
The former Germany international is also one of the most accurate passers in world football and has been at the heart and core of Real Madrid's successes in recent years. In Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and new signing Aurelien Tchouameni, Real Madrid's midfield is safe and secure for the foreseaable future.
#1 Manchester City
Pep Guardiola loves his midfield trios. At Barcelona, it was under him that Sergio Busquets, Xavi and Andres Iniesta relentlessly schooled their contemporaries with their elite footballing abilities.
At Manchester City, Guardiola has come close to replicating the same. In Rodri, he has one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. He is excellent at breaking up play and turning over possession. The Spaniard's elite passing ability helps him kickstart counter-attacks effectively.
Bernardo Silva never stops running and is also extremely gifted in a technical sense. He can weave his way past tight spaces and is seldom bullied off the ball. Silva is also an extremely creative player who can wreak havoc in the final third with his movement, link-up play and finishing.
And then there is Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgium international has been Manchester City's best player of the Pep Guardiola era. He can do it all. De Bruyne can bomb his way past roadblocks, play incisive passes that upend entire defences at once and also score some absolute belters.
To back them up, Guardiola has got the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish who can all play in midfield. They've also now added Kalvin Phillips to their midfield and it makes them all the more frightening a team to go up against.
