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In modern football, it is the speedy wingers and the new generation of number nines who have taken centre-stage at the moment. These players end up scoring the majority of goals for their teams and thus receive the lion's share of praise from fans and pundits alike.
But if not for the tremendous amount of work put in by their teammates in the middle of the pitch, they would be starved of service, and there would be no goals. The role of midfielders in football has never been as important as in the present day. That is because they not only provide the crucial link between attack and defence but are also expected to assume the role of an extra defender or attacker for their football teams from time to time.
Midfielders are generally some of the most technically gifted players in football teams, and it is an absolute joy to watch them dictate play. Stats often do not do justice to their efforts, and it is only when they are seen in action that one can appreciate their contribution on the football field.
With the 2019-20 European club football season almost behind us, we take a look at ten midfielders across Europe's top five leagues who did justice to the iconic number 5 ,6, 8 and 10 jerseys with top-notch performances.
Top ten active midfielders in European club football this season:
#10: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Ever since his breakthrough season in 2015-16, Joshua Kimmich has been hailed as the successor of former Germany and Bayern Munich captain Phillip Lahm. Just like his retired compatriot, Kimmich has made a seamless transition from a full-back to a defensive midfielder this campaign.
The 25-year-old's performances in the heart of midfield helped Bayern Munich to an unprecedented eighth successive Bundesliga title. Kimmich operated as a deep-lying midfielder during the season and formed a solid partnership with his compatriot Leon Goretzka, weeding out the danger ahead of the defenders and creating chances aplenty for the attackers.
He scored four goals duing the campaign and had seven assists to his name, but it was his tenacity and determination that made him stand out this season.
Kimmich worked harder than anyone else in the league, covering a whopping distance of 398 km in 33 appearances, making the most intensive runs with the football, holding possession more than any other player and also completing 92% of passes.
He was voted the third-best player for the 2019-20 Bundesliga campaign, ranking behind Bayern Munich teammate Robert Lewandowski and Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho by fellow Bundesliga players in a recent poll conducted by kicker.de.
#9: Santi Cazorla (Villareal)
Santi Cazorla's incredible recovery from an infection suffered after surgery that almost led to his foot being amputated to leading Villareal to Europa League football next season has been nothing short of a miracle.
Even at 35 years of age, Cazorla exhibited glimpses of flair and immaculate control of the football, reminding us that he's still the 'little magician' everyone revered at Arsenal.
He ended the season with 11 goals and nine assists while also generating two key passes a game.
His goal contribution was only behind the in-form Gerrard Moreno for Villareal.
After a successful campaign, Cazorla bid adieu to his childhood club and will play for Al Sadd next season under the tutelage of Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez.
Also See: 10 best defenders in European club football this season.
#8: Luiz Alberto (Lazio)
Luis Alberto is proving to be 'The one that got away' for Liverpool. Though the current Premier League champions have one of the best squads in Europe at the moment, Jurgen Klopp wouldn't have minded having Alberto at his disposal.
Alberto was signed by Lazio for just €4 million in 2016. After a sluggish first season, he hit top gear for the club, impressing one and all with his supreme playmaking abilities. He is currently second in the Serie A assists charts, producing a career-best tally of 15 assists and has also scored six goals.
This season, Alberto has averaged 2.8 key passes per 90, a stat bettered only by Alejandro Gomez.
With Ciro Immobile having the season of his life, scoring 34 goals so far, it is easy to overlook Alberto's incredible achievements in this campaign, though.
#7: Alejandro Gomez (Atalanta BC)
Imagine an Argentine footballer who can create scoring chances at will, dribbles past defenders like a hot knife through butter and scores goals at crucial moments for his club. I bet my bottom dollar that the player that came to your mind was Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi.
But, no, we are not talking about the six-time Ballon d'Or winner here. We are talking about the player who has left his mark as one of the best-attacking midfielders in the game at the moment; he is Alejandro Gomez, the captain of high-flying Atalanta.
Gomez's performances in the last few seasons have been pivotal to the club's incredible rise to the top echelons of Serie A, and this season has been no different in that regard. He leads both the assists charts in the Italian top-flight and key passes per game at 2.9.
Atalanta can achieve the best league finish in history if they emerge victorious in their final day showdown against Inter Milan on 2nd August.
#6: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Toni Kroos' journey with Real Madrid can be compared to Ringo's with the Beatles: a highly talented individual whose contributions are underappreciated due to his more illustrious colleagues.
To make our case, just consider the fact that the performances of his midfield partners Casemiro and Luka Modric have received rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
Modric won the greatest honour in the game when he lifted the Ballon d'Or in 2018, while Casemiro is considered by many as one of the greatest defensive midfielders of the present generation. But Kroos has largely operated under the radar.
Since joining the Madrid giants in 2014, the German playmaker has made more than 250 appearances and won 13 major titles. This season, he emerged as La Liga's best passer with a 93.4 % completion rate. To complement his passing supremacy, he scored four goals and provided five assists in the league.
Kroos scored Real Madrid's first goal after the La Liga restart in June after just four minutes, setting the tone for the rest of the campaign as the Merengues went on the win the league title.
#5: Bruno Fernandes (Sporting CP/ Manchester United)
Manchester United struck gold in the January transfer market as their €55 million signing from Sporting, Bruno Fernandes, almost single-handedly led them to a top-four finish this season.
The player who was named the Portuguese league's player of the year in 2018 and 2019, scored eight goals and provided seven assists in just 14 appearances for the Red Devils.
Fernandes' inclusion in the squad brought about a much-needed change in Manchester United's style of play, and his performances lifted his teammates' morales too.
His impact on the club's fortunes can be assessed by the fact that Manchester United have only lost once in all competitions when Fernandes has played.
Also See: Top 10 Premier League midfielders this season (2019/20).
#4: Casemiro (Real Madrid)
Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro is one of the hardest working players in the Spanish top-flight and one of the few players in the world who would rather do the dirty work in midfield than get on the scoresheet. His intelligent positioning, determination to win the ball back and tough-tackling lay the foundation of almost every scoring opportunity for the Spanish capital club.
Casemiro's defensive-mindedness allows for Kross and Modric to let their creative juices flow and also provides a screening effect to the back four. His no-nonsense approach sometimes brings him more harm than good, though, as he ends up picking up yellow cards too often. This season, he was booked 12 times and as a result, missed two games due to suspension.
He also scored four crucial goals this season; they resulted in three wins for the club in one of the closest La Liga title races in recent memory.
#3: Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
When Steven Gerrard left Liverpool in the summer of 2015, many doubted whether The Reds would be able to replace their legendary captain soon, and questions were soon raised about Jordan Henderson's ability to do so.
Well, five years on, Henderson's success speaks for itself. Not only has the English midfielder filled in impeccably for Gerrard as captain but has also tremendously improved his technical abilities. Thanks to a shrewd manager like Jurgen Klopp and a better squad around him, Henderson captained Liverpool to a maiden Premier League triumph, something that eluded Gerrard throughout his career.
Henderson was an ever-present figure in Liverpool's dominant display throughout the 2019-20 campaign. Apart from being the midfield general in 30 league appearances during the season, he also scored four goals and provided five assists.
#2: Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)
Unless you have been living under a rock, you must've heard about Bayern Munich's incredible run of form since the Bundesliga restarted. The deadly duo of Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller led the Bavarian giants' charge to an eighth successive league triumph.
Muller does not define himself in any of the traditional roles of the game and calls himself the Raumdeuter, which roughly translates to ‘interpreter of space’. Nonetheless, he proved himself as one of the finest attacking midfielders in Europe this season.
Though he usually started in a number ten position behind Lewandowski, Muller also occupied many positions in the attacking third depending on match situations.
Muller enjoyed one of his best seasons at the Allianz Arena, scoring eight goals and providing a record-breaking 21 assists in just 33 appearances.
His red-hot form and incredible understanding with Lewandowski make Bayern one of the favourites in the Champions League too, which restarts next month.
#1: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne has established himself as one of the best players on the planet right now. He produced yet another set of outstanding displays this season for Manchester City as they came second in the Premier League.
Since he joined the Cityzens, Kevin De Bruyne's career has been on an upward growth trajectory. Under a coach like Pep Guardiola, he added the goalscoring instinct to his existing skillset of unparalleled vision and ball distribution.
The 29-year-old is at the peak of his powers and can do it all - free-kicks, long-range screamers, tap-ins, ridiculous assists - they all come naturally to him.
With a record-equaling 20 assists for the season, the Belgian also scored 13 goals and made sure that Sergio Aguero's injury did not affect Manchester City's goalscoring ways.
Kevin De Bryune is one of the top players who have been robbed of the Ballon d'Or, which has been cancelled this season.
Also See: Top 5 Premier League players with most assists in a single season.
Honourable Mentions -
Ever Banega (Sevilla), Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen), James Maddison (Leicester City), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid) and Miralem Pjanic (Juventus).
