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In a football world reigned by forwards, the most unacknowledged presence on the pitch is arguably of a defensive midfielder. A player plying his trade in the aforementioned position is expected to bring his A-game whenever he steps on to the pitch owing to his pivotal role.
Nevertheless, that does not necessarily guarantee the deserved acclamation and plaudits, which explains why they are normally forgotten when it comes to individual awards such as the Ballon d'Or or the FIFA Player of the Year.
Having said that, here we take a look at the world's five best defensive midfielders at present.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and they do not necessarily represent the views of Sportskeeda.
#5 Jorginho
The 2017/18 campaign was a career-defining one for a number of Napoli players as I Ciucciarelli fell just short of clinching their 3rd Serie A title, finishing four points adrift of Juventus.
Although the club ended the season devoid of any major silverware, Maurizio Sarri's Sarriball and its pivot - Jorginho - caught the eye of several European top sides. Consequently, Sarri was announced as Chelsea's new manager following the departure of Antonio Conte, which acted as a catalyst for Jorginho's move to the Blues, who snatched him from the jaws of Manchester City.
Indeed, the 26-year-old pass master will be the fulcrum of Chelsea's midfield this season under the Italian manager, who will most likely exploit his skill set to build-up play from the back via short passes, a key feature of Sarri's possession-based system.
Last season, the Brazil-born star completed more passes in Europe's top five leagues than anyone else. In Serie A, Jorginho accomplished 2860 passes at an impressive accuracy approaching 90%.
#4 Nemanja Matić
Nemanja Matić was one of the shrewdest coups of the 2017/18 transfer window, and it would be fair to say, in retrospect, that the Serbian has lived up to his billing.
While Manchester United's substandard form last season does not license us to extol the virtues of their players, Matic's impact on the squad was felt through the performance of his team-mates.
Paul Pogba's re-emergence is a great example of how the former Chelsea ace brings out the best in the players around him. The creative Frenchman, who joined United for a then world-record fee in 2016/17, found himself in the firing line for the most part during his debut campaign. However, he profited profoundly from the defensive stability behind him last season as evidenced by the market improvement in his performances.
Needless to say, Matic's own displays this term will be one of the decisive factors in terms of whether the Red Devils' pursuit of success is a positive one.
#3 Casemiro
Under the tutelage of Zinedine Zidane, Casemiro has gone from strength to strength in order to make a name for himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the football world.
A vital cog in Real Madrid's machinery, the Brazil international enjoyed a phenomenal 2017/18 season where he inspired Los Blancos to their historic Champions League three-peat, netting seven goals and creating three more across all competitions.
Casemiro is one of those few players who perfectly befits the said introduction with regard to his unhonoured contributions for the team. The 26-year-old is currently a crucial figure in Real Madrid's midfield which largely pivots on the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and the Brazilian himself.
#2 Sergio Busquets
In the wake of departures of both Andres Iniesta and Paulinho, Sergio Busquets is definitely the kingpin of Barcelona's midfield, who will be tasked with a much tougher role this season - particularly after the massive turnaround in the ongoing transfer window.
The Spaniard boasts exceptional vision and pinpoint accuracy when it comes to passing the ball, over both short and longer distances. Other than that, Busquets is quite strong in the air courtesy of his towering figure.
The 30-year-old's renowned midfield-anchor role was one of the chief causes of Barcelona's stunning resurgence last season as they yanked away the La Liga title from their arch-rivals Real Madrid and also romped to the Copa del Rey title too.
#1 N'Golo Kanté
He is short, he is nice, he’s the one who stopped Leo Messi, but we all know he's a cheater at cards, N'Golo Kante!
The influence of N'Golo Kanté on the pitch is simply ineffable. Wherever the Frenchman goes, he is bound to find success.
When he was at Leicester, he helped the Foxes pull off a remarkable Premier League triumph before moving to Chelsea, where he again inspired a tottering side to their sixth Premier League title. And recently, he also played an instrumental role in France's road to World Cup glory to cement his position as perhaps the best defensive midfielder in the world.
Blessed with raw pace and stamina, the 27-year-old is adept at breaking the opposition's rhythm and kick-starting counter-attacks. Besides, his extraordinary work ethic also allows him to work as a box-to-box midfielder as per the team's needs.
