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A Pulse Sports comprehensive roundup of the best defensive midfielders in world football in 2023.
With the increased pace of football and the focus on building out from the back and pressing, the defensive midfield position becomes increasingly important. Like every other position in football, there are outliers, some of whom are better than others, so who is the best defensive midfielder in the world?
Without further ado, we have ranked the best defensive midfielders in the world for the year 2023
10. Enzo Fernandes (Argentina/Chelsea)
This young man is only new to the scene, but his abilities cannot be denied, as he successfully displaces several big names to crack our list of the top ten best defensive midfielders in the world.
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12:36 - 15.03.2023
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Prior to the World Cup, Fernandes was already one of the most coveted talents in the position, shining with Benfica as they led their Champions League group ahead of Juventus and PSG.
However, the Mundial was where Enzo established himself as truly world-class, worthy of a place among the best defensive midfielders in the world. He and the Argentina team went on to win the trophy, and Enzo picked up the best young player award for how well he marshalled the base of midfield.
He is only the 10th-best defensive midfielder in the world, but he is certainly on the podium for the best young defensive midfielders in the world.
9. Fabinho (Brazil/Liverpool)
A few seasons ago, Fabinho would have strolled into the top five of the list, but his performances have waned. However, his abilities and track record are good enough to earn him a ninth place on our list of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
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19:30 - 03.08.2021
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Staying at Liverpool - Brazil midfielder Fabinho
Fabinho has lost his undisputed spot in Klopp's team, but when in form, not many guards in the area in front of the defence are better than him.
8. Declan Rice (England/West Ham)
The only reason Rice is only the seventh-best defensive midfielder in the world is the level of competition at club level.
He might only play for West Ham, but he is an integral part of the England national team that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup and final of the Euros.
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14:15 - 25.03.2023
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Rice is one of the best tacklers in world football, and his impressive ball-carrying ability helps him advance play better than most. He is certainly one of the best young defensive midfielders in the world.
7. Sergio Busquets (Spain/Barcelona)
The Busquets dilemma is such that many would disagree with his inclusion on the list at all, and many will argue he should be number one.
Truly, if this list were a few years ago, Busquets would undoubtedly be number one; however, at 34, the Barcelona midfielder is a long way past his prime.
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18:56 - 26.03.2023
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His level in his prime was so high that even now, with a steep drop-off, he is still one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
Still a starter for Barcelona and having recently captained Spain in last year's World Cup, Busquets is the seventh-best defensive midfielder in the world.
6. Aurelien Tchouameni (France/Real Madrid)
Madrid's midfield dynamo is the best young defensive midfielder in the world, and at only 22, he is among the best defensive midfielders in the world.
Tchouameni broke into the French national team squad while playing for Monaco, helping them to a Nations League triumph.
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His most impressive feat is effortlessly replacing Casemiro at Real Madrid, numbing the pain of losing one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
Still far from his prime, Tchouameni is expected to grow from strength to strength.
5. Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands/Barcelona)
Frenkie is not of the mould of defensive midfielders, who are known first for making tackles and being aggressive.
The Barcelona maestro is one of the most aesthetically pleasing footballers and certainly one of the most press resistant.
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10:32 - 25.03.2023
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Frenkie won the UEFA Best Midfielder award at only 21, and although he has struggled in parts at Barcelona, recently he has fully re-established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
4. Rodri (Spain/Manchester City)
At this point in the list, we have gotten to the best of the beats, and from here onward, any of the players can easily be named the best defensive midfielder in the world.
Rodri is only fourth on this list, but in some circles, he is undoubtedly the best in the world in the defensive midfield business.
The Manchester City man combines destroyer defensive midfielders' incredibly athletic and ball-winning abilities with the guile, composure, and deep-lying playmaking of the registas.
3. Thomas Partey (Ghana/Arsenal)
Thomas Partey has consistently been one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, and he is probably the most important player to his team's successes on this list.
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To many, Partey is the best defensive midfielder in the world in 2023, and who can fault opinions like this, with his presence helping Arsenal close in on their first league title since 2004, and his absence? Well, Arsenal fans dread it as the level of their performance takes a dip.
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15:47 - 06.03.2023
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Partey is one of the best tacklers on the planet, and his finesse on the ball is second to none. He effortlessly escapes pressure with his impressive dribbling skills, and like the best players in this position, Partey is adept at line-breaking passes.
The Ghana international is also capable of striking the ball, with his shot sending the Black Stars into the World Cup over the Super Eagles.
2. Casemiro (Brazil/Real Madrid)
What more can be said about a five-time Champions League winner?
Casemiro is a winner through and through, and more than any other on this list, he's a ball-winner extraordinaire.
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12:12 - 07.03.2023
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Fernandes has managed 57 goals and 50 assists in 166 appearances since joining the club in January 2020.
No one does it as cleanly as Case, nor is anyone as tenacious as the Brazilian.
The 31-year-old's ball-winning skills cannot be overstated, and as this season has gone to show more times than his period at Real Madrid, Casemiro is also capable of rubbing shoulders with the most technically gifted in this position.
Athletic, intelligent, technical, and a goal threat, only one player manages to be ahead of Casemiro on this list ranking the best midfielders in the world.
1, Joshua Kimmich (Germany/Bayern)
To many, Kimmich is the best midfielder in the world, and to us, the German international is the best defensive midfielder in the world.
His best attributes are on the ball; he is one of the best passers in world football, both in range and in selection, and his press-resisting ability is second to none, all contributing to a midfielder who, as Diego Simeone said, "The last time he lost the ball was when he gave his son to play with."
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06:18 - 25.03.2023
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Other than his artistry on the ball, Kimmich, who was formerly a right-back, is also astute in the defensive aspects of his role.
The 28-year-old is as successful as he is talented, although he is part of an unfortunate era in German football, he was a cornerstone in Bayern's sextuple run, among
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