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#7 Phil Foden
Phil Foden was widely regarded as the next big thing as he dazzled for England at the 2017 U-17 World Cup in India. The midfielder was gradually eased into the Manchester City team by Pep Guardiola despite insistence that he was ready immediately.
Foden has gone on to become one of the best and most technically gifted midfielders in world football. The Englishman scored 16 goals and assisted 10 more for the Cityzens in 50 appearances last season.
He started and impressed in the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea before joining the English national team for a second-place finish at Euro 2020. The 21-year-old finished in 25th place at the 2021 Ballon d'Or rankings.
#6 Jorginho
Surprisingly, UEFA Player of the Year Jorginho was ranked a lowly sixth among the best midfielders in the world in 2021 by the fans. The Chelsea man was impressive for club and country in 2021, winning the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Euro 2020 and UEFA Super Cup.
Jorginho finished in third place in the 2021 Ballon d'Or rankings behind Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski. Despite his successes in 2021, a lot of fans feel he is not among the best midfielders in the world this year.
He received a lot of criticism and was reduced to a bit-part player before the arrival of Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea. As such, his rise to prominence is nothing short of spectacular.
#5 Paul Pogba
France midfielder Paul Pogba has had a mixed 2021. At club level, he was part of an underwhelming Manchester United team that struggled greatly. With the French national team, however, the 28-year-old was a different player altogether.
He played a pivotal role as the French national team won the UEFA Nations League in 2021. He also impressed at the start of the 2021-22 season for Manchester United, recording seven assists in the opening three games of the season.
#4 Joshua Kimmich
Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich has developed into one of the best midfielders in the world despite having played in defense for the last few seasons.
The Germany international was a regular for his club during the 2020-21 season, scoring six and assisting 14 goals in all competitions. He also represented Germany at Euro 2020 in the summer as they crashed out at the Round of 16 stage.
Kimmich is a world-class player in two different positions, a testament to his brilliance on the pitch.
