Central midfielders are essential for the modern football squads. They not only create attacks, but also provide assists and score goals. Central midfielders can also help their team to defend.
Nowdays there are many talented central midfielders and we have made a top 10 from all top leagues.
TOP 10 best central midfielders in the world right now 2025
Certainly! Here's an updated overview of the top central midfielders, including their ages, current clubs, and notable statistics for the 2024/25 season:
1. Pedri
- Age: 22
- Club: FC Barcelona
- 2024/25 Stats: 5 goals, 7 assists
Pedri is one of the key players for FC Barcelona and usually plays in a free midfield role. He is a versitile footballer who even plays as a number 8.
2. Federico Valverde
- Age: 26
- Club: Real Madrid
- 2024/25 Stats: 8 goals, 7 assists
Valverde is also a versatile footballer, who is known for his pace, work rate, stamina and shooting ability. He usually plays as a CM, but also can play as a defensive midfielder and right back.
3. Declan Rice
- Age: 26
- Club: Arsenal FC
- 2024/25 Stats: 5 goals, 8 assists
Rice has become one of the key players for Arsenal and he is mostly known for his ball carrying skills and ability to score goals from range
4. Eduardo Camavinga
- Age: 22
- Club: Real Madrid
- 2024/25 Stats: 1 goal, 2 assists
Camavinga is a versatile player who can play not only as central midfielder but also defensive midfielder and left-back.
5. Nicolò Barella
- Age: 28
- Club: Inter Milan
- 2024/25 Stats: 3 goals, 8 assists
Barella has been names the best young Italian player born in 1997 two years in a row. The midfielder can dribble through a defence, score volleys and start counter-attacks
6. Alexis Mac Allister
- Age: 26
- Club: Liverpool FC
- 2024/25 Stats: 5 goals, 4 assists
Mac Allister is a key player for both Liverpool and Argentina.
On his time as a midfielder under Jurgen Klopp, Mac Allister once said: "I played as a lone five [holding midfielder]. I was much more defensive than anything else. We were used to being very direct and perhaps played more long balls."
7. Gavi
- Age: 20
- Club: FC Barcelona
- 2024/25 Stats: 2 goals, 3 assists
Gavi has been branded as a highly promising young player in 2021, and has been compared to Barca legends Andreas Iniesta and Xavi.
8. Enzo Fernández
- Age: 24
- Club: Chelsea FC
- 2024/25 Stats: 4 goals, 8 assists
Enzo Fernandez is also a versatile footballer, who is capable of dictating the tempo of the game, as well as recycling possession.
9. Warren Zaïre-Emery
- Age: 19
- Club: Paris Saint-Germain
- 2024/25 Stats: 3 goals, 1 assist
PSG's youngster is known for his physicality and technical skills. He is effective in both ball recovery and initiating play.
10. Frenkie de Jong
- Age: 27
- Club: FC Barcelona
- 2024/25 Stats: 2 goals, 1 assist
He describes himself as a player "who likes to have the ball a lot, and play possession."
De Jong is another versatile player, playing for Barca. He can play in many positions such as regista, defensive-midfielder, central-midfielder, holding midfielder, box-to-box midfielder and centre-back.