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It is said that football games are won and lost in the midfield. The battles at the center of the pitch dictate who ends up exerting control over a game. The 'beautiful game' has evolved over the years and there is a renewed focus on tactics and player roles.
Defensive midfield is a position that has grown in prominence in recent times. Plenty of coaches across the world use a double midfield pivot to sweep in front of the defence line. Having defensive midfielders as a sort of shield in front of the defenders helps lend stability to the whole team.
The role of a defensive midfielder does not end at winning the ball back. They also need to recycle possession, help the team settle into shape and kickstart counter attacks.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best defensive midfielders of 2021.
#5 Fabinho (Brazil/Liverpool)
When Fabinho left AS Monaco to join Liverpool in 2018, nobody could have predicted the kind of impact he'd have in the Premier League. The Brazilian international quickly became undroppable and even today, he is one of the first names on Jurgen Klopp's teamsheet.
Fabinho is a very intelligent footballer with a great reading of the game. The 28-year-old loves a tackle and is very efficient at impeding the opposition's attacking forays. Fabinho also presses quite effectively, which is a key feature of Liverpool's game under Jurgen Klopp.
His discipline and game intelligence have been so on point that he even slotted in at centre-back regularly during Liverpool's injury crisis in the 2020-21 season.
#4 Jorginho (Italy/Chelsea)
Jorginho is not built like most defensive midfielders these days. He has a slender figure but he makes up for his lack of physicality with his technical excellence. The Italian international had a wonderful summer in 2021.
He was a vital cog in Chelsea's system as they won the UEFA Champions League. Jorginho was also an important member of the Italian side that had a triumphant run at Euro 2020. He was also named UEFA's Men's Player of the Year.
Jorginho is excellent at reading the game. This enables him to cut passing lanes and make interceptions regularly. He is very important to his team as far as winning possession back is concerned.
But Jorginho's main strength is his distribution. He keeps things ticking in midfield by playing slick short passes. Jorginho can also spread the ball out to the wings and play some wonderful through balls to his forwards from deep.
#3 N'Golo Kante (France/Chelsea)
If not for his injury issues, N'Golo Kante would have been even higher up this list. The Frenchman was phenomenal for Chelsea as they won the UEFA Champions League last season. He was in irrepressible form and turned in several match-winning performances in the knockout stages of Europe's elite competition in the 2020-21 season.
Kante's relentless running and tenacity are two very important features of his game. But he is also very tidy in possession and has done well at progressing the ball higher up the pitch.
The Frenchman does a lot of work in midfield which in turn enables his teams to get on the front foot quickly every time they recover possession. The 30-year-old was named UEFA Best Midfielder of the Year.
#2 Casemiro (Brazil/Real Madrid)
Brazil have no shortage of top quality defensive midfielders. They have the likes of Casemiro, Fabinho and Fred battling it out for a starting berth. But the Real Madrid man is the most reliable among the three.
Casemiro is the very definition of a midfield destroyer. He is a physically imposing presence in midfield and he loves a tackle. The 29-year-old is aggressive and mobile. Not only can he win the ball back quite ably, he can also move it forward and join the attack.
He lends a lot of balance to his team. Casemiro's positional sense and tactical awareness makes him a great asset in midfield when the opposition breaks on the counter. The Brazilian international is also lauded for his never-say-die mentality and is an absolute menace when he is in top form.
#1 Joshua Kimmich (Germany/Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich have always had world-class defenders on their payroll. But even the strongest of defences could be exposed and look vulnerable in the absence of quality midfielders. Joshua Kimmich has been absolutely immense for club and country in that sense.
The German international started out as a full-back but has transformed into one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. He is so technically adept that it's almost reductive to use the term 'defensive midfielder' as he is more of a deep-lying playmaker.
That is not to say that he is lacking in the defensive department. Kimmich is excellent at making tackles, interceptions and recoveries. He is even better at pinging precise passes to his forwards. For now, Kimmich is the best defensive midfielder in the world.
