Janice R. Andrews
The playmaker is an important player in football. These players are in charge of setting the pace of the game, moving the ball from defence to attack, protecting the back line, and making chances for goals. The best midfielders in the world in 2024 are those who can make important plays, set up goals, make tackles, and recover lost balls. They are the most important part of their teams and play a big part in their success at home and abroad.
This piece ranks the best midfielders in the world in the year 2024. Some of the things that go into the rankings are the number of passes made, the number of goals, and the player’s total impact on their team. ESPN, Footy Stats, and FBREF have all been contacted to make sure the data is correct. Here is a list of the world’s best midfielders.
List of the best midfielders in the world in 2024
Rodri (Manchester City)
- [Full name] This is Rodrigo Hernández Cascante.
— Manchester City is the club
Spanish is his nationality.
- Born on June 22, 1996
- Born in Madrid, Spain
Rodri is one of the best midfielders in the world in 2024. The Spanish playmaker played a big role for Manchester City in the 2023–24 season. In the Premier League, he had the most touches (3988), successful passes (3633), progressive passes (376), and ball moves (2513). City won the Premier League and the Champions League thanks to his strong play in the middle of the pitch.
Rodri had a big impact on more than just his club team. He was also a key member of the Spanish national team that won the 2024 European Championship and was named Player of the Tournament.
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Jude Victor Bellingham is his full name.
- Real Madrid is the club
- English is their first language
- Birthday June 29, 2003
- Born in Stourbridge, England
In 2023–24, Jude Bellingham had a great first season with Real Madrid. Because he was so skilled and versatile, he scored 26 goals across all categories, 19 in La Liga and 4 in the UEFA Champions League. Bellingham was great at getting goals, but he also finished 1363 passes and made 1897 touches, which shows how important he was all over the pitch.
Real Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League thanks to his work, and in his first year, he was named the club’s Player of the Season.
Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal)
- Martin Ødegaard is his full name.
- Team Name Arsenal
- Norwegian by nationality
- “Birthday”: December 17, 1998
- Nationality Drammen, Norway.
One of the best striking midfielders in the world, Martin Odegaard, has been proven to be even better. The Norwegian was very good at leading Arsenal’s middle in the 2023–24 season. He was in the 98th percentile for advanced passes and the 99th percentile for touches in the penalty area. He had 10 assists, which was the third most among Premier League midfielders. His ability to set up plays was a big reason why Arsenal finished second in the league.
Bernat Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen)
- Granit Xhaka is his full name.
- Bayer Leverkusen is the club.
- My nationality is Swiss
- “Birthday”: September 27, 1992
- Basel, Switzerland
Moving Granit Xhaka to Bayer Leverkusen for the 2023–24 season was a great idea for the Bundesliga team. A crazy 92.20% of the passes the Swiss playmaker made during the season were completed. Leverkusen won the Bundesliga title thanks in large part to his ability to direct play and pass the ball accurately.
Xhaka is an important player for both Leverkusen and the Swiss national team because of how tough he is, how well he leads, and how far he can throw the ball.
Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
- [Full name] Nicolò Barella Cavaliere OMRI
- Inter Milan is the club
- My nationality is Italian
- Born on February 7, 1997
- Born in Cagliari, Italy
For several seasons, Nicolo Barella has been Inter Milan’s best player. The Italian defender made 1181 of 2093 passes in 2023–24, which put him in the top five pass-completers in Serie A. He is one of the most well-rounded midfielders in the world because he can play both tough defence and creative offence.
He also scored four goals and set up four others, which helped Inter Milan fight at the top level in Italy and the Champions League.
Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
- [Full name] Emery Warren Zaire
- Paris Saint-Germain is the club.
- French is his nationality.
- Born on March 8, 2006
- Born in Montreuil, France
Warren Zaire-Emery is one of the best young midfielders in the world, and he is only 18 years old. Zaire-Emery played 26 games in Ligue 1 in the 2023–24 season and showed how good he was at playing with the ball and how calm he was when he had it. He had three assists, which was ninth most among central midfielders, and was a big part of PSG’s success at home.
Many people think that Zaire-Emery will be one of the biggest football stars of the future. It will be fun to see him grow.
Toni Kroos (retired Real Madrid player)
- [Full name] Toni Kroos
- Club: Over 55
- German is his nationality.
- Born on January 4, 1990
- Germany, is where he was born.
Toni Kroos quit in 2024, ending one of the best runs in modern football history. His last season with Real Madrid was probably his most effective. With a 95% pass success rate, he led La Liga. Kroos was famous for how well he could pass the ball and how easily he could get past defenders.
At the end of the 2023–24 season, he had played 33 times in La Liga, scored one goal, and set up eight others. Kroos was one of the best midfielders of his time and will be remembered for that.
Pedro (Barcelona)
In full, his name is Pedro González López.
- Club Barcelona
- Spanish is his nationality.
- “Birthday”: November 25, 2002
- Born in Bajamar, Spain
In 2024, Pedri is still becoming one of Barcelona’s most important players. He is different from his peers because he helps with both defence and attack. Pedri was placed 89th for blocks and 61st for tackles, which shows how versatile he is as a defender. When Pedri is attacking, his progressive passes and ball moves are among the best in the game, putting him in the top 90%.
Pedri’s skill to set the pace of games is very important to Barcelona. He completes 86.5% of the passes he makes.
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
- Kevin De Bruyne is his full name.
- Manchester City is the club
- My nationality is Belgian
- Birthday June 28, 1991
- Drongen, Belgium.
It’s true that Kevin De Bruyne is known as one of the best midfielders in the world. Even though he missed five months of the 2023–24 season because of a leg injury, De Bruyne still helped Manchester City score 10 goals. He is a key player in Pep Guardiola’s scheme because he is the best at crossing the ball and playing it.
De Bruyne’s impact is even stronger now that he has 112 assists in the Premier League, second only to Ryan Giggs.
Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
- Jamal Musiala is his full name.
- Bayern Munich is the club.
- German is his nationality.
- Birthday February 26, 2003
- Stuttgart, Germany.
In 2023–24, Jamal Musiala had a big year for Bayern Munich. He scored 15 goals, which put him second on the team’s list of top scorers, behind Harry Kane. Musiala also did very well on defence. For example, he was in the 95th percentile for interceptions and the 80th percentile for stops.
Musiala is one of the best young football players in the world, even though he is only 21 years old. He is tough on defence and has great striking skills.
Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
- [Full name] Luka Modrić
- Real Madrid is the club
- Croatian is his nationality.
- Birthdate September 9, 1985
- Born in Zadar, Croatia
Luka Modric is still one of the most important midfielders in football, even though he is 38 years old. In 2023–24, the Croatian star played 32 La Liga games for Real Madrid and set up six goals. His above-90th percentile stats for creating chances and goals show that his vision, passing, and imagination are still among the best in the world.
Modric’s knowledge and ability to lead have been important to both Real Madrid’s success and that of Croatia’s national team, which he led to a spot in the World Cup final 2018.
Bottom Line
These midfielders are the best at the modern game because they are creative, pass well, have good vision, and defend well. They not only score goals and set up others, but they also keep the game moving. As 2024 approaches, these players still do a great job in their roles and have a big effect on their teams and countries.
