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They say that most football matches are won in midfield. It's hard to argue with that because what happens at the center of the pitch and which team dominates it surely has a great deal of impact on the result of the game.
The midfield is the spine of any team. It's up to the midfielders to keep things ticking while their team is in possession. It is also their duty to make sure their midfield line is not breached very easily when they don't have the ball.
As midfield tends to be the most crowded area on the pitch, teams require players who possess game intelligence and great technical ability to do their bidding for them. These are players who can't be shaken off the ball easily and can dictate play by virtue of their passing and vision.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five midfielders who control the flow of the game.
#5 Rodri (Manchester City)
Rodri sits at the base of Manchester City's midfield and runs things from the center of the park with ease and grace. The Spain international is a fine passer of the ball. He is not easily dispossessed and uses his superior tactical ability to keep the ball moving into favorable spaces.
Rodri is a strong campaigner who is calm on the ball and rarely gives it away. If Manchester City do lose the ball, he will have already slotted into the backline to help fortify their defense.
He can also contribute some valuable goals and has been an absolute blessing for Pep Guardiola's side as they looked to move on from Fernandinho.
Rodri has maintained an astonishing passing accuracy of 92.16% in the six Premier League games played so far, with 325 of those passes being completed in the opposition half'
#4 Thiago Alcantara (Liverpool)
At the peak of his powers, it was hard to find a player who could control the tempo of the game better than Thiago Alcantara. The Liverpool man is one of the most technically gifted players on the planet. Thiago's creativity, coupled with his precise passing, makes him a nearly indomitable presence in the centre of the pitch.
Thiago can play anywhere across midfield courtesy of his tactical intelligence, positioning awareness and ball retention abilities. He dictates play from deep and it's a joy to watch him swiftly switch play and move the ball to less crowded spaces to help his side keep hold of the ball.
If constant injury issues hadn't limited his involvement extensively, he could have gone on to become one of the game's all-time greats.
#3 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
Paris Saint-Germain's midfield metronome Marco Verratti is one of the best players who won't be playing at the World Cup as Italy failed to qualify. Verratti is one of the best central midfielders of the modern era and despite his diminutive stature, he bosses things in the middle of the park.
Verratti's close control is second to none and he wriggles smoothly out of tight spaces by virtue of his agility. The Italy international also possesses excellent vision and the passing range to match it. As such, he is a joy to play with for attackers.
Verratti, primarily a right-footed player, can play just as well with his left. The 29-year-old is easily one of the most complete midfielders in the game right now. Verratti unsurprisingly has a passing accuracy of 94.22% in the seven Ligue 1 games played so far and has won 44 ground duels with a success rate of 60.27%
#2 Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Joshua Kimmich has been Bayern Munich's best player so far this season. The Germany international is arguably the best deep-lying playmaker in the world. He roams the midfield realms and is one of the most well-rounded players in the game.
He excels at winning the ball back and is also an extremely talented playmaker. He is always on the lookout for free spaces and possesses a wide passing range and a great deal of tactical intelligence.
One of the attributes necessary for a deep-lying playmaker is the knack for knowing when to push forward and when to sit back. Kimmich does it with aplomb.
In eight appearances across Bundesliga and the Champions League this season, Kimmich has scored two goals and provided four assists. He has created a whopping 20 chances in those games played.
#1 Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Toni Kroos is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time. He has had an illustrious career at Real Madrid and has been one of the most important players in their most successful spells in the Champions League.
Kroos is one of the most precise passers in the history of the game. His vision, creativity, set-piece ability and passing range are all astounding. The 32-year-old is also great at retaining possession and has the physical strength to hold off opponents.
Kroos plays as though he can see everything that happens on the pitch. He slows things down and lets Real Madrid regroup and regain their shape all the time. Kroos will go down in history as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.
Kross has completed 278 passes in La Liga with an brilliant passing accuracy of 94.56% which includes 21 successful long passes He has also created eight chances in those games
