The 25 Best Midfielders in World Football Right Now (2026) – Positions 25 to 16

If you win the midfield, you usually win the match. Simple as that. In 2026, the game’s engine room is stacked with playmakers, destroyers and box-to-box dynamos who set the tempo and decide titles. We’ve ranked the very best of them, and this slice runs you from 25 down to 16 – with some familiar giants (yes, Jude Bellingham and Bruno Fernandes) looming higher up the list.

Before we dive in, a quick word on the criteria: current form across 2024/25 and 2025/26, consistency, versatility, tactical importance, fitness record and, crucially, what they do when the lights are brightest in Europe and for their countries. For those who fancy a flutter, have a browse of the best betting sites for the latest outright markets – and remember, midfield control still separates contenders from pretenders.

Ranking factors at a glance

• Impact and consistency this season and last • Big-game influence (Champions League, internationals) • Tactical role and versatility • Availability and fitness • Contribution to trophy pushes

25. Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool & Argentina)

A World Cup winner in 2022 and a £35m bargain for Liverpool in 2023, Mac Allister stitched together a classy debut season capped with the League Cup, then helped deliver the Premier League under Arne Slot a year later. He’s dipped a shade in 2025/26 as Liverpool have been picked off more often, but the Argentine remains an elegant conductor who keeps the Reds ticking when the game needs a steady hand.

24. Nicolò Barella (Inter & Italy)

Inter’s heartbeat and a snarling creator rolled into one. He nearly hauled the Nerazzurri to European glory before PSG ran riot in last season’s final, yet his stock didn’t budge. Under Christian Chivu he’s been nudged deeper to quarterback from the base, and he’s bossed it – snapping into tackles, then sliding passes through traffic like a seasoned regista.

23. Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli & Belgium)

Even with the injuries, the standard remains sky-high. After gilding Manchester City’s dominance for years, the Belgian moved to Napoli and flashed his class early doors before a lay-off struck – sidelined since netting a penalty against Inter in late October. At 34, he still sees passes others don’t even dream about; keep him fit and he changes seasons.

22. Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain & Spain)

The Spaniard won’t always make the highlight reels, but PSG’s balance falls apart without him. A pivotal cog in their 2024/25 domestic treble and Champions League triumph, he also rode Spain’s wave at Euro 2024 after Nations League success the year before. Injuries have pinched minutes in 2025/26, yet don’t be shocked if he shapes the run-in when it matters most.

21. Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United & Italy)

St James’ Park adores him for good reason. Tonali dictates rhythm, pierces lines and still finds time to bite into duels. Four goals in 2024/25 underlined his knack for timely contributions, and flanked by Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton he brings poise to Newcastle’s midfield. Instrumental in their Champions League return, he’s attracting appreciative glances from the elite – and it’s easy to see why Italy trust him too.

20. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal & Norway)

The wunderkind label felt a burden at Real Madrid, but in north London he’s the metronome and the moral compass. Arsenal’s near-misses over three straight Premier League campaigns owed plenty to the spells he was sidelined – when he’s absent, the Gunners’ patterns blur. Greater depth has eased the load this term, yet he’s still the scheme’s architect and the cool head in the storm.

19. Florian Wirtz (Liverpool & Germany)

£116m buys you potential – and the German has it in spades. Early teething pains aside, Wirtz is beginning to morph into Liverpool’s difference-maker, threading danger between the lines and arriving with menace. Two straight Bundesliga Player of the Season gongs at Leverkusen (21 goals and 23 assists in 63 games during that spell) told us this was coming; since the turn of the year he’s looked every inch the heir to the Premier League’s elite creators.

18. Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool & Netherlands)

Written off too quickly, reborn under Arne Slot. Dropping into the No.6 slot alongside Mac Allister, the Dutchman’s glide, power and press resistance have evoked a certain Yaya-esque swagger with a touch of Thiago’s pirouettes. Even with Liverpool’s 2025/26 wobble, he’s been a standout. He has roamed forward more – the defensive bite has dipped – but that adventurous streak keeps opponents guessing.

17. Luka Modrić (AC Milan & Croatia)

Forty and still handing out masterclasses. After 13 glittering years at Real Madrid, Modrić landed in Milan in summer 2025 and promptly raised the Rossoneri’s ceiling. Starting all but one of their first 25 Serie A matches, with two goals and three assists, he’s stitched control into a title push. Not the legs of yesteryear, but the brain remains unmatched.

16. Enzo Fernández (Chelsea & Argentina)

The price tag has weighed heavy at times, yet the arc points upwards. Energetic, front-foot and forever punching the box, the 25-year-old has already clocked 150-plus appearances for Chelsea since arriving in January 2023. If he anchors himself at Stamford Bridge for the long haul, he looks every inch a midfield mainstay around whom you can build.

That’s your 25 to 16. The top end of the list is where the arguments really start, with the likes of Bellingham and Fernandes circling the summit. However you slice it, the midfield is where champions are cut – and this lot keep writing the script.