10 Best Defensive Midfielders in Premier League History [Ranked]

Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win has ignited many debates involving Man City’s midfield enforcer. The 57-cap Spain international’s award came at the expense of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, whom many felt was the red-hot favourite heading into the awards ceremony on Monday night (October 28).

Paul Scholes firmly backed the decision to award Rodri the Ballon d’Or. He is a massive fan of Euro 2024’s Player of the Tournament and views the 28-year-old as a ‘beautiful footballer’. He also emphasizes the importance of a defensive midfielder in Spain’s slick brand of football.

The Manchester United legend played with several iconic defensive midfielders during his career, but he feels Rodri is the best holding midfielder to grace the Premier League. It’s high praise from the former England international and opens the floor for a debate: Is Rodri the Premier League’s all-time greatest defensive midfielder? Here are the top 10 ranked, with their success, longevity, Premier League legacy, and influence on their teams all considered.

10 Gilberto Silva

Club: Arsenal

Gilberto Silva was somewhat of an unsung hero during his spell at Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, where he flourished as an all-rounded holding midfielder. The Brazilian’s 6ft1in frame gave him an imposing presence, but he was also accomplished on the ball, picking out his man and spreading the play.

The Gunners benefitted from his dominance in the middle of the park, and he was instrumental in their Invincibles season in 2004. He twice won the FA Cup and the Community Shield for the North Londoners, posting 24 goals and 14 assists in 244 games across competitions.

9 Michael Carrick

Clubs: Man United, West Ham, Tottenham

Michael Carrick was a unique English midfield talent. He possessed a profile more befitting that of a Spaniard, similar to Sergio Busquets. He conducted United’s midfield with aplomb, was tidy on the ball, and shielded the defense with impressive defensive abilities.

Sir Alex Ferguson trusted Carrick to anchor his midfield, and he came through with flying colours. The ex-West Ham man won 18 major trophies at Old Trafford, including five Premier League titles, making him one of the best English players in the club’s history. Unsurprisingly, he has been making waves in the managerial world after his playing career because of his high footballing IQ.

8 Paul Ince

Clubs: Man United, Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Wolves

Paul Ince is a Premier League journeyman whose relentless work ethic went hand in hand with the requirements of a defensive midfielder. His energy, tackling abilities and remarkable engine saw him flourish at United and Liverpool, becoming an all-time great in English football.

England’s first-ever black captain, Ince’s presence in the Red Devils’ midfield helped Sir Alex’s side to two Premier League titles. He helped pave the way for many box-to-box defensive-minded talents we see waging battle in today’s English top-flight.

7 Fernandinho

Club: Man City

Fernandinho was Rodri’s predecessor at Man City and one of the coolest holding midfielders in Premier League history. The Brazilian blended an elegant playing style with the grit and passion of a winner, captaining the Cityzens in his final two years at the Etihad. His versatility and knowledge of the game were a hit under Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola signed Fernandinho from Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk in July 2013 for around £30 million. It was a clever decision as the Selecao star was perfect for the Spaniard’s system, a cornerstone in their ongoing stranglehold on English football. He won five Premier League titles before departing in 2022 as one of the best Brazilians in Premier League history.

6 Xabi Alonso

Club: Liverpool

Xabi Alonso’s arrival at Liverpool in 2004 brought with it a new style of defensive midfielder that the Premier League had yet to set its sights on. The Spaniard lit up English football with his incredible vision on the ball and accomplished passing abilities, rarely failing to make the right pass.

The in-demand Bayer Leverkusen manager didn’t get his hands on the Premier League title at Anfield but left his mark. Alonso dazzled for the Reds, part of the side’s Miracle of Istanbul heroics and their famous 2006 FA Cup final triumph. He did everything with class, including controlling the tempo of the Merseysiders’ play under Rafa Benitez.

5 Claude Makelele

Club: Chelsea

Claude Makelele is synonymous with the defensive midfield position and is a pioneer in anchoring the midfield. The Frenchman shined as the six, sitting in front of his defence and putting out fires. His energy and tenacity gave Jose Mourinho the tools to propel his Chelsea into one of the Premier League’s best defensive teams.

Fans will be familiar with the Makelele Role, which describes a defensive midfielder and reflects his influence on the game and the role. The Real Madrid legend won two Premier League titles with the Blues and was a key figure at the start of the Roman Abramovich era at Stamford Bridge.

4 N’Golo Kante

Clubs: Chelsea, Leicester City

N’Golo Kante is one of the most likeable players in Premier League history, but he is also a nightmare to play against. The Frenchman never tires and is like a magnet, chasing the opposition down to regain possession. His reading of the game is second to none, and he was a massive hit at Chelsea.

During seven years at Stamford Bridge, Kante starred for the west Londoners. He’d caught the attention of fans across Europe with his impact on Leicester in their fairytale 2015-16 Premier League title triumph. The Al-Ittihad midfielder, who that year Sir Alex Ferguson hailed as the best player in the English top flight, added another winners’ medal to his glistening trophy cabinet in 2017.

3 Patrick Vieira

Clubs: Arsenal, Man City

Patrick Vieira’s physicality scared the opposition, but he was also one of his generation’s most technically gifted midfield talents. The iconic former Arsenal captain’s lengthy frame coincided with a never-say-die attitude that saw him race around the pitch, winning the ball back and helping his team in transition.

The Frenchman scored the winning goal in the Gunners’ Invincibiles season, one of many of his legacy-defining moments. Wenger once described the first signing of his reign as ‘exceptional’. Premier League football hasn’t witnessed defensive midfielders quite as formidable as Vieira.

2 Rodri

Club: Man City

Rodri’s rise has been remarkable, and it was capped off with a Ballon d’Or win, which recognised the Man City man’s dominance in defensive midfield. He’s long been holding the fort for the Cityzens, and Guardiola highlighted how the Spaniard is just as influential as their record-breaking superstar forward Erling Haaland.

There is no debate about Rodri’s influence on his teams, as he’s only suffered one defeat in his last 85 games for the club and the country. He’s not just defensively astute, but he’s also incredibly creative and has a proven end product, with an astounding nine goals and 14 assists in all club competitions last season. Madrid can complain all they want, but his Ballon d’Or nod was more than deserved.

1 Roy Keane

Clubs: Man United, Nottingham Forest

Roy Keane’s old teammate Scholes might disagree, but the fiery Irishman’s Premier League legacy trumps Rodri in the all-time ranking. When one thinks of the English top flight, the ex-Manchester United captain is one of the first names to come to mind. He was the beating heart of Sir Alex’s rampant Red Devils side, captaining them to glory on a European scale.

Judging the defensive midfield profile is all about taste, and Keane’s aggressive yet intelligent style of play was the embodiment of a Premier League’s colossal midfield enforcer. His larger-than-life personality made for some of the most iconic moments as he, at times, bullied United’s way to seven Premier League titles. You knew you were in for a rough afternoon when you saw the Premier League hardman in the tunnel.

Stats courtesy of Transfermarkt – correct as of 31/10/2024.