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So far, 2021 has been the year of the midfielders, as Chelsea's Jorginho was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year following his displays for club and country. The Italian midfielder played a pivotal role as he became a double European champion with Chelsea and Italy.
The second and third-placed players in the award category were also midfielders. It was the first time since Luka Modric in the 2017-18 season that a midfielder had been named UEFA Player of the Year.
Midfielders have been under-appreciated in football in recent years, receiving much less praise compared to the strikers. We have decided to make use of the fan poll recently conducted by GOAL, the GOAL50, to list the 10 best midfielders in the world in 2021.
Without further ado, here are the ten best midfielders in the world in the eyes of the fans:
#10 Ilkay Gundogan
Germany international Ilkay Gundogan has been transformed into one of the Premier League's best goalscoring midfielders by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
The 31-year-old scored 17 times in all competitions for the Cityzens, leading their goalscorers in the Premier League with 13 goals as they ran away with the title last season.
Gundogan mastered the art of subtly occupying spaces where he could move into advanced positions and score when City played without a recognized striker.
The experienced midfielder played an important role for Manchester City in 2021 and was the 10th best midfielder in the world, according to fans.
#9 Mason Mount
England midfielder Mason Mount has established himself as one of the most reliable players for club and country. He captained his boyhood club for the first time in 2021 and was one of the most consistent performers for the side.
The 22-year-old Chelsea star played a key role for Chelsea in their Champions League winning campaign, scoring in the second leg of their semi-final against Real Madrid.
Mount also assisted Kai Havertz for the winning goal in the final against Manchester City. The Englishman finished in 19th place in this year's Ballon d'Or ranking.
#8 Pedri
Barcelona and Spain midfield prodigy Pedri has had quite the breakout year. He made his debut for Barcelona and Spain, winning the Copa del Rey and silver at the Tokyo Olympics. Pedri was also the Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2020.
The youngster won both the Golden Boy and Kopa awards for the best U-21 player in the world in 2021. He finished in 24th place in the Ballon d'Or rankings. Pedri played the most matches of any player in Europe last season and fully merited his inclusion on this list.
#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.
#3 Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes has written his name into Premier League folklore with his performances. The Portuguese playmaker joined Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020 and has contributed more goals than any other Premier League player in this period.
Fernandes has scored 44 goals and registered 34 assists in only 99 matches for the Red Devils from midfield. He scored 18 goals and contributed 11 assists in his first full season in the English Premier League for Manchester United as they finished second.
The midfielder was instrumental as Manchester United reached the final of the UEFA Europa League before losing to Villarreal.
Fernandes scored a hat-trick in his first appearance of the 2021-22 season and has made six assists in five games in the UEFA Champions League this season.
Without a doubt, Fernandes has been one of the best midfielders of the past one year in the world. He finished joint 21st in the Ballon d'Or rankings this year.
#2 Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is undoubtedly one of the world’s best playmakers. The Belgian midfielder played a key role for Manchester City last season as they regained their Premier League crown.
Despite being plagued by muscle, hamstring and ankle injuries, De Bruyne tallied 10 goals and 18 assists in 40 appearances in all competitions. The midfielder was influential in the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea before going off injured with an orbit fracture following a collision with Antonio Rudiger.
De Bruyne returned to action at Euro 2020, where he scored two goals in four matches. He finished in eighth place in the 2021 Ballon d'Or rankings.
#1 N'Golo Kante
People have run out of superlatives to use in describing Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante. The 30-year-old Frenchman is, without a doubt, the best ball-winner in world football.
Despite having struggled with injuries in recent years, Kante saved his best for the final stretch of the 2020-21 season as Chelsea were crowned Champions of Europe.
The diminutive midfielder put on consecutive man-of-the-match performances in the semi-finals and final against Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively. A big-game player, Kante has always performed brilliantly on the biggest stages.
His performance in 2021 saw him get voted by fans as the best midfielder in world football. He was also named UEFA midfielder of the Year in 2021, and finished in fifth place in the Ballon d'Or rankings.
