Top 5 central midfielders in Europe right now

Football, our beloved sport is becoming more famous than ever, featuring our favourite teams who are entertaining us with their amazing performances and accomplishments year after year.

While the attackers get all the plaudits for scoring the goals that produce victories, the midfielders also deserve immense recognition for the huge roles they play in the development and success of the team. As a matter of fact, in every successful squad, there are fantastic central midfielders who take on the biggest responsibilities, since the main strength of any team lies in the center of the park.

Controlling the tempo of the game, dictating play from the middle of the pitch, distributing decent passes, creating clear-cut chances as well as serving as the engine room of the team - the functions of central midfielders are so numerous and very important that they cannot be underrated.

Europe is highly blessed with this incredible category of footballers who have made name for themselves with their impressive performances while representing their respective clubs across the continent. Below, we recognize the top 5 central midfielders plying their trades on the European soil at the moment.

#5 Philippe Coutinho

Coutinho is gradually climbing the ladder at Barcelona

Former Liverpool superstar Philippe Coutinho is one of the most impressive central midfielders in Europe at the moment. The Brazilian has taken his game further ever since he left the Premier League for Barcelona during the winter transfer window.

Replacing Spanish legend Andres Iniesta in the Barcelona starting lineup, Coutinho is steadily moving his career to a very great level - with his incredible ability to dictate play from the center of the park, distribute decent passes and create amazing goalscoring chances for his teammates making him a great joy to watch.

One thing with which the Brazilian surpasses many other central midfielders on the continent is his ability to impress in offense, busting forward at opportune moments to support attack as well as finding the back of the net with his terrifying shots from outside the box.

#4 Marco Verratti

The Paris Saint Germain superstar is a great influence in the middle of the pitch

Italian International, Marco Verratti became one of the most sought midfielders in the world during the summer of 2017, with the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich all trying to sign him before he eventually decided to stay put.

With so much intelligence and an amazing ability to control the the tempo of the game from the middle of the field, Verratti has proved times without number that he belongs among the elite central midfielders in Europe - producing a lot of scintillating performances that earned him constant comparisons with one of the greatest midfielders in the history of the game - Xavi Hernandez.

The Paris Saint Germain midfielder thrives on his ability to manipulate the ball at his feet, linking up with his teammates perfectly and taking the ball forward to create chances for the attackers to score.

#3 Ivan Rakitic

Rakitic's incredible performances in the World Cup has given him a lift in his career

A brilliant FIFA World Cup campaign with his nation in Russia has taken Barcelona superstar Ivan Rakitic to a greater height in his career, with the Croatian now emerging as one of the top central midfielders in Europe at the moment - thanks to his amazing performances in the recently concluded tournament.

Rakitic is a highly skilled superstar with both physical and technical strengths. A decent passer of the ball with a spectacular vision and an amazing movement, the 30-year-old impresses at taking total control of the midfield, pushing the ball forward into offensive position as well as making immense defensive contributions - something that is rare to see in a typical central midfielder.

The Barcelona superstar also makes good use of the ball, capable of picking out the right passes and never disappoints whenever he finds himself in a good position to shoot.

#2 Kevin De Bruyne

The Belgian has emerged as one of the top central midfielders in Europe at the moment

A vital cog in Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side that ran riot on their way to claiming the English Premier League title last season, Belgian superstar Kevin De Bruyne is without doubts, one of the elite central midfielders in Europe at the moment.

The 27-year-old has taken his game to a higher level under the aforementioned manager, consistently producing exceptional performances that have earned him a lot of recognition across the continent. His impressive displays for the Etihad outfit during the previous campaign hasn't gone unnoticed, with the Belgian earning a nomination in the UEFA Awards gala that took place recently.

His incredible vision, decent passing and amazing confidence are his major strengths but the Manchester City superstar also thrives on his ability to dominate the middle of the pitch, orchestrating team play and busting forward at vital moments to create clear-cut chances for his teammates as well as sending the ball into the back of the net by himself.

#1 Luka Modric

The Croatian thrives on his ability to dictate play from any region of the pitch

When it comes to rating the most impressive central midfielders in Europe right now, there is no way we can exclude Real Madrid maestro Luka Modric from our list, with the Los Blancos superstar playing in a league of his own at the moment.

The Croatian has proved to us beyond any reasonable doubts that he is the best midfielder in Europe at the moment, producing a lot of eye-catching performances as he guided Real Madrid to their third consecutive Champions League triumph this year before coming back to lead his nation to their first ever FIFA World Cup final in Russia.

Modric has been a decent user of the ball throughout his career, holding on to it firmly and controlling the tempo of the game from the middle of the pitch. His slick movement and the ability to penetrate opposition defenses while keeping a close control of the ball makes him a very tough opponent to defend against.