The English Premier League is known for its fast, strong, and skilled players. Strikers often get all the attention, and defenders are praised for great saves.
But the best midfielders in premier league really run the show. They control the tactics, never stop running, and come up with creative plays that decide how each game goes.
The Premier League has seen some amazing football talents, from tough players who make hard tackles to graceful playmakers who can open up any defense with one pass.
The debate over who stands among the best midfielders in premier league history is one that ignites pub arguments and fuels online forums. It just goes to show how much talent the Premier League has seen in the last 30 years.
This article seeks to settle that debate, or at least add to it, by ranking the 13 best midfielders in premier league history, celebrating their unique contributions to the sport.
These players aren’t just good; they’re the kind of players who come along once in a generation. They really made their mark on the games they played and the teams they were part of.
In addition, some of them also made our list of players with the most assists in Premier League history. They are the legends who defined eras and inspired millions.
Okay, let’s kick off our countdown of the best midfielders in premier league in history, starting with number 13, and check out what these awesome midfielders do for a living.
The 13 Best Midfielders in Premier League History
1. Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
2. Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
3. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
4. Roy Keane (Manchester United)
5. Patrick Vieira (Arsenal)
6. Kevin De Bruyne
7. David Beckham (Manchester United)
8. Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
9. Cesc Fàbregas (Arsenal & Chelsea)
10. Yaya Touré (Manchester City)
11. Claude Makélélé (Chelsea)
12. Luka Modric (Tottenham Hotspur)
13. N’Golo Kanté (Leicester City & Chelsea)
13. N’Golo Kanté (Leicester City & Chelsea)
N’Golo Kanté’s story is pretty amazing for a soccer player now. He is the first player and African in our best midfielders in premier league list. When he came here, no one knew him, but he quickly became famous and a key player in Leicester City and Chelsea winning the title.
Kanté changed how people saw defensive midfielders because he had so much energy, worked so hard, and could always get the ball back.
It was like he was two players in one because he could be everywhere at once. He was great at tackling and stopping passes, so he stopped other teams from attacking.
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N’Golo Kante really helped both teams. He made Leicester’s defense strong, which helped them win the league even though nobody thought they would. Then, he did the same thing for Chelsea the next year.
He is a true marvel of premier league football and one of the best midfielders in premier league.
12. Luka Modric (Tottenham Hotspur)
Luka Modric‘s time in the English Premier League might not have been long, but he sure made an impact. Before he became a global star and won the Ballon d’Or at Real Madrid, Modric was the creative spark for a really good Tottenham Hotspur team.
Though small, he had a big influence on the field. He had amazing touch, great balance, and could pass the ball like few others in the league. Watching Modric just slip past players with a quick move was amazing.
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He linked the defense and attack, playing deep or higher up the field, always looking for that perfect pass. Like most best midfielders in premier league, he didn’t score a ton of goals, but his vision and skill made him special.
His time at Spurs laid the groundwork for his future greatness, and he is a constant reminder of a player who transcended the league to become arguably the best football player in the world at his position.
11. Claude Makélélé (Chelsea)
It’s not every day a player gets a position named after them, but that’s exactly what happened with Claude Makélélé. The Makélélé role is now the go-to term for that one defensive midfielder who sits right in front of the defense, stopping attacks and protecting the back line.
When he arrived at Chelsea, he wasn’t a well-known name in England, but he quickly became one of the most important players in the premier league today.
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Makélélé was key to Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea title wins. He wasn’t one to hog the spotlight; his job was the dirty work, which is winning the ball and passing it simply to the playmakers. These qualities earned him a place on our best midfielders in premier league in history.
His feel for the game, where he was on the field, and his energy levels were amazing. He let Lampard and the other guys push forward and attack.
He won two premier league winners titles with Chelsea and completely redefined the way teams thought about the defensive midfield position, making him one of the most influential players in the league’s history.
10. Yaya Touré (Manchester City)
Yaya Touré was something else, a midfielder with the strength of a tank but the smooth moves of a dancer. Back in the day, he was almost impossible to stop. He’s the second African Player on our best midfielders in premier league list.
He’d charge out of the midfield, blowing past defenders, shaking off anyone who tried to tackle him, and then blast these amazing shots from way out. His best year had to be 2013-14 when he scored 20 goals from midfield. Seriously, it was one of the most impressive individual seasons the league has ever seen.
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Touré was basically the poster child for Manchester City when they went from being an okay team to a title-winning machine. He could score, set up goals, overpower people physically, and control the game’s tempo. He did everything.
His free kicks? Lethal. And the way he snuck into the box to score? Defenders hated it. He won three premier league winners medals and played a pivotal role in the club’s early successes in the modern era.
9. Cesc Fàbregas (Arsenal & Chelsea)
A prodigy who burst onto the scene at Arsenal and a seasoned professional who returned to win the title with Chelsea, Cesc Fàbregas was a midfielder of unparalleled vision and passing ability.
He was a true playmaker, able to break down any defense with one great pass. With 111 assists, he’s third on the all-time list, which just shows how good he was.
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Fàbregas’s career in the English premier league today was one of two distinct chapters. When he was the young captain at Arsenal, he was full of energy and led a team that was changing.
His passes were really nice, and he was key to their offense. Then, at Chelsea, he was a more experienced playmaker, hanging back and controlling the game from further back.
The fact that he could change his game and do so well in two setups and at two rival teams really shows how smart and skillful he is. He is a truly great premier league midfielder.
8. Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
There is a couple of Manchester United players on our best midfielders in premier league history list, including Giggsy. Ryan Giggs was amazing because he played so well for such a long time. He’s the player with the most medals ever to play in the English premier league today, having won 13 league titles.
He was a fast winger when he was younger, but later on, he moved to central midfield, which shows how adaptable and smart he was.
As a midfielder, Ryan Giggs was really good at keeping the ball and knowing what to do. Because he had so much experience, he knew what was going to happen and his passes were always perfect.
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He might not have been as fast as he used to be, but he made great decisions and could see everything on the field. He proved that even though he wasn’t as fast, he was still a really smart player.
Giggs is the ultimate symbol of a premier league winners player, and his place on this list is a non-negotiable.
7. David Beckham (Manchester United)
More than just a global icon, David Beckham was a sensational footballer and one of the best midfielders in premier league history.
His right foot? Magic. Perfect crosses, crazy long passes, and those unforgettable free-kicks.
He could score from anywhere and flip the game on its head. Also, Beckham never stopped running, always helping out on defense. The guy just worked incredibly hard.
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He was a key component of Sir Alex Ferguson’s dominant Manchester United teams of the late 90s and early 2000s, winning six premier league winners medals.
His crosses from the right were amazing, and watching him team up with guys like Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke was just awesome.
He wasn’t just a good player; he totally changed the game. He is, without a doubt, one of the best midfielders in premier league history.
6. Kevin De Bruyne
When you think about today’s soccer superstars, Kevin De Bruyne is right up there with the most influential. It’s amazing to watch his vision on the field, how he can pass the ball anywhere, and how he makes scoring chances out of thin air.
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De Bruyne has had a huge influence on Manchester City, and his stats are mind-blowing. He’s an amazing player, and some people are already saying he could be the best ever.
5. Patrick Vieira (Arsenal)
You can’t curate a list of best midfielders in premier league of all time without the name, Patrick Vieira. He wasn’t just a player; he was a warrior, a leader, and an artist all in one. As captain of Arsenal’s Invincibles, he was really the heart of Arsène Wenger’s awesome team.
Vieira was a great midfielder, strong but also skilled. His battles with Roy Keane are legendary and show how intense the Arsenal and Manchester United rivalry was.
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Vieira could do anything: win the ball, move it forward, and score big goals. He always competed hard and led by example, and having him on the field made everyone play better.
He won three premier league winners medals and cemented his legacy as one of the most fearsome and brilliant midfielders the English premier league has ever seen.
4. Roy Keane (Manchester United)
Patrick Vieira was a warrior, but Roy Keane? He was the general. As Man United’s ultra-competitive captain, Keane really set the tone for the club’s best years.
He pushed everyone to be better, teammates and rivals too. You could see he wanted to win badly, and that rubbed off. Keane played with real heart, and just having him on the field could scare the other team.
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But he wasn’t just tough; Keane was a great player. He could pass the ball really well and had a sharp understanding of the game. He could control how a match went from midfield, and he always seemed to step up when it mattered most.
His iconic display in the 1999 Champions League semi-final against Juventus, where he played with an unmatched intensity despite knowing he would miss the final, is one of the great premier league games moments.
He won seven Premier League titles and is a total legend.
3. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Steven Gerrard played for Liverpool for more than ten years. He was a local legend and only ever played for one club. He was amazing and often carried his whole team.
Gerrard was a great midfielder who could do it all. He could shoot super hard from far away, pass to anyone, and score important goals to win games.
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He led the team, fought hard, and never quit. He really showed what his club was all about. Even though he never won the Premier League, he’s thought of as one of the best because he was so talented and had such a big impact.
He scored lots of famous goals, and he was really good at helping the team come back and win, even when they were losing.
He was the complete midfielder, a player who could defend, attack, and inspire, all in one. His place as one of the best midfielders in premier league history is undeniable.
2. Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
Everyone respected Paul Scholes; he was an awesome player. Man U’s quiet genius was super skilled, especially his passing.
He could ping the ball anywhere on the field, pick out a teammate even when things got crowded, and blast shots from way outside.
Zinedine Zidane even said Scholes was his toughest opponent and a complete midfielder. Scholes was a key figure in Manchester United’s era of dominance, winning a remarkable 11 premier league winners medals.
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He was the team’s brains, controlling the game’s pace with his passes and movement. His smarts and tactics were amazing, and he changed his game as he got older, going from an attacking midfielder to a deep playmaker.
He is, without question, one of the best midfielders in premier league history till date.
1. Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
At number one we have Frank Lampard, who totally changed the game for midfielders who score goals. He’s known for always playing well, working super hard, and being amazing at scoring from the midfield spot.
With 177 goals, he’s scored more than any player on our best midfielder in Premier League history list, and he’s still one of the top five goal-scorers ever.
More than just goals, he was a great all-around player. He could pass the ball really well, saw the field great, and could run all game long.
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Lampard really powered Chelsea when they became a top team in the mid-2000s. He’d always run into the box at exactly the right moment, which became his thing, and defenses always had to worry about him.
He won three Premier League titles with Chelsea and scored more goals than anyone else who ever played for the club. He could always play great for over ten years, which makes him special.
He is not just one of the best midfielders in premier league history, he is an icon of the game. You can read more about his career and his impact on the game in this insightful article from the official Premier League site: best midfielders in premier league.
A Legacy of Mid-field Excellence
The final whistle has blown on our countdown, but the debate over the best midfielders in premier league history will continue to rage on. What unites every player on this list is not just their individual skill, but their profound impact on their clubs and on the sport as a whole.
While our rankings are a reflection of their statistics, trophies, and influence, the true measure of their greatness lies in the countless memories they created for football lovers. As the premier league football continues to evolve, so too will the qualities we look for in our midfield heroes. These are the players who will forever be known as the best midfielders in premier league history.
People Also Ask About Best Midfielders in Premier League
- Who is the top midfield scorer in the Premier League history?
Frank Lampard has scored the most career goals by a midfielder in the Premier League, with 177 goals.
- Is Gerrard the best midfielder of all time?
He’s the best all-round midfielder I’ve ever seen. He can pass, tackle, finish, long range shots, clinical penalty taker, played all over midfield, high standard for majority of his career and a leader.
- Who is the highest scoring midfielder in football history?
The midfielder with the most career goals of all time is generally considered to be Zico with 517 goals, while Frank Lampard is the highest-scoring midfielder in Premier League history.
- Is De Bruyne the best midfielder ever?
Guardiola: De Bruyne is one of the greatest midfielders ever. Pep Guardiola has said it is a “sad day” for Manchester City but hailed Kevin De Bruyne as “one of the greatest midfielders ever” following the Belgian’s announcement that he is to leave the club at the end of the season.
- Who was the first midfielder to score 100 goals in the Premier League?
Le Tissier, regarded as a creative attacking midfielder with exceptional technical skills. Le Tissier is the second-highest-ever scorer for Southampton behind Mick Channon, and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year in 1990. He was the first midfielder to score 100 goals in the Premier League.
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