In this article, we present to you our picks of the 10 best male midfielders of 2024 that shone while plying their trade in Europe.
Midfield is a crucial position in football, often considered the most important, as a team’s success heavily depends on its quality. Midfielders serve as key communicators between offence and defence, provide support in attack, score goals, or play a defensive role. Europe boasts both world-class attacking and defensive midfielders.
The rankings below are based on following criteria:
- Performances, potential. and consistency
- Importance and relevance to his team
- Success or trophies won
The stats mentioned have been accumulated from Transfermarkt and Fbref.
10. Martín Zubimendi | Spain | Real Sociedad
Martín Zubimendi was heavily linked with Liverpool in the summer of 2024. Even more teams are heavily interested in the services of the Spanish midfielder now, which signifies how good he was for an otherwise struggling Real Sociedad side in 2024.
Zubimendi is deployed as a defensive midfielder for both club and country. Arguably, he is the second best in his role in Europe after Manchester City’s Rodri.
Being a deep-lying midfielder, Zubimendi’s goal contributions are naturally fewer than the more attacking midfielders. He had four goals and an assist in the 2023/24 season and has a goal and two assists from 21 appearances this season. His contributions can be justified better with his interception rate of 1.37 per 90 minutes, tackle rate of 2.14 per 90 minutes, and aerial duels win rate of 61%.
The Spain international possesses all the qualities of a world-class #6. He can receive the ball under pressure, control the tempo of the game, and break the opposition press with line-breaking passes. He is an intelligent player who can adapt to different conditions, shows composure under pressure, and can quicken or slow down the game as per need.
Playing for the out-of-form Txuri-Urdin, Zubimendi has still grabbed eyeballs with his impressive performances, but the best is yet to come. If he does move to a bigger club, his performances are going to improve, and his goal contribution tally will see a momentous rise too.
9. Bruno Fernandes | Portugal | Manchester United FC
Bruno Fernandes is another player who is over-performing in a struggling Manchester United side. At a time when United have been far away from their title-winning credentials of eras gone by, the Portuguese midfielder has been their most creative player and probably the brightest shining light in the dark for the Red Devils.
Fernandes plays as an attacking midfielder for club and country, producing consistent numbers for both. In 2023/24, he had a whopping 15 goals and 13 assists from 45 games for United. In 2024/25, he has six goals and 11 assists so far and has been their most influential player alongside being captain of his team.
The 30-year-old is a versatile midfielder who can also play as a second striker. He has excellent dribbling skills and can hold possession in tight spaces. He has great vision and range of passing and moves around the pitch in attacking areas to regain possession in deeper areas.
If Man United are to perform better and get back into European places, Fernandes has to remain a vital cog in their wheel and needs to keep chipping in with important goals and assists.
8. Jamal Musiala | Germany | FC Bayern Munich
Jamal Musiala is, without a doubt, one of the hottest young prospects in Europe right now. At 21 years of age, he has already been linked with the elite clubs in Spain and England while already playing for an elite club. Musiala had a breakthrough season in 2020/21 when he scored for Bayern Munich in both the Bundesliga and Champions League, becoming their youngest goalscorer aged just 17 years old. His talent was there for everyone to see, and Bayern soon handed him a beefier contract.
Musiala has only improved from thereon, becoming one of the first names on the Bayern team sheet. He had a decent 2023/24 season, scoring 12 goals and bagging eight assists in 38 games even though Bayern failed to win the league. However, he is going all guns blazing in the 2024/25 season, having already scored a mammoth 14 goals and grabbed six assists in just 22 games and proving crucial in the Bavarians’ charge for reclaiming the German topflight crown.
Musiala is a versatile player who can play as a winger as well as a central midfielder. He is known for his close-control dribbling and can beat opposition players with feints and trickery. He has great vision of passing, and his decision-making on the perfect pass to execute is excellent as well. He also has the ability to play line-breaking passes.
Aged just 21, Musiala is already one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe. It’s going to be difficult for Bayern Munich to hold onto him if the likes of Real Madrid or Manchester City come calling.
7. Luka Modric | Croatia | Real Madrid CF
When it comes to top midfielders in Europe, Luka Modric needs no introduction. Captain of both Real Madrid and the Croatia national team, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner is arguably one of the best midfielders of his generation. Despite almost 40 years old, Modric is still performing at a world-class level.
In 2023/24, Modric led Los Blancos to both LaLiga and Champions League crowns, contributing with two goals and eight assists. This season, he is on two goals and four assists in 27 games, though his G/A numbers do not fully explain how important he has been to Carlo Ancelotti’s side. The 39-year-old still contributes massively with his performance and experience.
Modric has all the qualities that characterise a world-class midfielder—technical skills, tactical awareness, vision, and range of passing along with unmatched game intelligence. His ball distribution is second to none—be it short or long passes, and he can easily anticipate opposition moves and close out passing channels. His positioning on the pitch is immaculate, and he can move into defensive areas as well as exploit the opposition with passes behind their back line.
Modric is still valued as a key member by Real Madrid, and even though he may no longer be starting every game for them, he is still expected to contribute in key moments from the bench.
6. Martin Ødegaard | Norway | Arsenal FC
Martin Ødegaard is currently one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League and has been in sensational form for the Gunners in the past few seasons.
The Norwegian first made the switch to Arsenal in January 2021 on a loan move, which became permanent in the summer. This was probably one of the best transfers pulled off by the Gunners, as he has flourished in North London and become one of the most important players in Mikel Arteta’s side.
Ødegaard had a stellar 2023/24 season with 11 goals and assists each for the Gunners. His 2024/25 season has been marred with a long injury layoff, but such has been his importance that, since his return, Arsenal have looked a more structured and controlled team in midfield.
Ødegaard is a modern-day midfielder with exquisite touch, technique, dribbling skills, vision, and range of passing. He can also provide passes and crosses from set-pieces with pin-point accuracy and can find great spaces on the pitch to create chances for his teammates with direct, incisive passing. In addition, he has excellent work rate and wins back possession in deep areas as well.
Ødegaard has been massively important for Arsenal in the past seasons, which has led them to fight for the Premier League title and become Champions League regulars again. He still holds the key in midfield if they are to finally move one step forward and win trophies this season.
Also read: Top 10 goalkeepers in Europe in 2024
5. Nicolò Barella | Italy | FC Internazionale Milano
Nicolò Barella is another top-class central midfielder. He plies his trade for Inter Milan and the Italy national team and performs consistently for both. He came to the fore when Italy won the European Championship in 2021, where he impressed one and all with his consistency.
Since then, Barella has become an important part of Inter’s success in recent years. He contributed two goals and seven assists in Inter’s Scudetto-winning run in 2023/24 and has contributed with three goals and four assists so far in the 2024/25 season, though his importance lies far beyond these numbers.
Barella is a box-to-box midfielder—a type very difficult to find in world football currently. His impact lies not only in the attacking areas but also in winning possession and putting in tackles in the defensive areas. The 27-year-old is an intelligent operator who can dribble past defences, score from volleys, and also start counterattacks with long-range and cross-field passes. Such is his quality that he has been compared to Steven Gerrard because of the similarity in their qualities, like great technique, vision, stamina, and physical strength.
4. Kevin De Bruyne | Belgium | Manchester City FC
Kevin De Bruyne is a name that needs no introduction. He is not just one of the best midfielders in Europe but also an all-time Premier League great.
De Bruyne has been instrumental in Man City winning numerous trophies and their sustained dominance in both England and Europe. Even though he is ageing and injury-prone now, his importance to Pep Guardiola’s side cannot be understated.
The 33-year-old had a superb 2023/24 season with six goals and 18 assists as he led City to an unprecedented four-peat in the Premier League. The 2024/25 season hasn’t gone too well for the City veteran, though, as he has missed many games due to injury, but since coming back he has been able to help turn City’s struggling form around.
De Bruyne is one of the most complete modern-day playmakers. His ability to play anywhere in midfield, even as a second striker or a deep-lying midfielder if need be, makes him even more dangerous. He has excellent vision and one of the best passing ranges in world football. In addition, he possesses brilliant technique, work rate, and can score long-range goals from both set-pieces and open play.
Even though the Belgian midfielder is in his twilight years now, his ability to turn around a game with a decisive pass or a clutch goal hasn’t waned, and his experience can only benefit a transitional City side.
3. Florian Wirtz | Germany | Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Florian Wirtz has well and truly exploded onto the world stage with his superb performances for Bayer Leverkusen that led them to the Bundesliga title last year. The German attacking midfielder was one of the standout performers in Europe’s top five leagues last season.
Wirtz had a stupendous season in 2023/24, scoring 18 goals and getting 20 assists for Leverkusen in 48 games. His brilliant performances led to his club winning a domestic double and reaching the final of the Europa League. He has gone on to replicate his incredible numbers in the 2024/25 season, with 12 goals and eight assists in 20 games so far.
Wirtz usually plays centrally but can also play on the wings. He is sometimes deployed as a false nine by coach Xabi Alonso as well. He is a direct player who likes to get forward into scoring areas while also possessing superb finishing skills. He also creates a lot of chances for his side with decisive passes and crosses. In addition, he covers a lot of ground and goes into deeper areas to regain possession.
The 21-year-old is one of the most sought-after players in Europe currently, and it would take a lot for Bayer Leverkusen to hold onto their most-prized asset for another season if he continues to attract attention with his incredible numbers.
2. Jude Bellingham | England | Real Madrid CF
Jude Bellingham is one of the most talented players from this English football era. Still only 21 years old, the central midfielder puts in consistent performances for club and country while also coming up with important goals in big moments.
The 2023/24 season was Bellingham’s first season at Real Madrid, with the Santiago Bernabéu faithful hoping he would justify his €100m price tag, and justify it he did. The England international was in sensational form for Los Blancos, scoring 23 goals and grabbing 13 assists in 43 games, which were crucial to Real Madrid winning LaLiga and the Champions League. He has continued his blistering form in 2024/25 with eight goals and seven assists in 23 games so far, even though Real Madrid are not as impervious as they were last term. His performance for England in last year’s Euros were noteworthy as well, as he played a key role in taking them to the final.
Bellingham possesses excellent technique, ball control, and strength. He has a dynamic style of play and can also be deployed in other positions. In addition, he has great vision and can spray passes to his teammates in forward positions. He is the complete package—he can win the ball and drive forward, is press resistant, holds up possession, finds gaps in opposition defences, and can assist and score.
Ranked third in last year’s Ballon d’Or rankings, Bellingham is only going to get better, which is quite a scary prospect.
1. Rodri | Spain | Manchester City FC
Rodri has been simply the best among all the midfielders in Europe in 2024 and deservingly won the prestigious Ballon d’Or last year after helping Man City win the Premier League again and leading Spain to Euros glory.
Even though he is a defensive midfielder whose creative numbers can’t be compared to his attacking peers, Rodri’s importance can’t be understated, which has been further proven by Man City’s dismal campaign so far, with him out for the season.
The 28-year-old plays in a deeper role and yet manages to contribute massively with clutch goals and assists. In 2023/24, he delivered nine goals and 14 assists for the Cityzens. This season, he only played three games before he suffering a season-ending ACL injury. For his performances with La Roja in their Euro-winning run, he was given the Player of the Tournament award.
Rodri has been averaging a tackle rate of 2.17 per 90 minutes, an interception rate of 0.65 per 90 minutes, and an aerial duel win percentage of 70.5%. He is a strong player with superb technique and physicality. Playing deep in midfield, he controls the tempo of the game, finding spaces between the opposition lines and releasing passes to start counterattacks. He shields the City defence by regaining possession in deeper areas and breaking up attacks with his vision and awareness. His interceptions, tackle rate, and aerial duels are as good as those of a world-class defender.
Both Man City and the Spain national team will be hoping Rodri comes back from injury as soon as possible and performs at the same world-class level we’re used to see him perform at.
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