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The Premier League has always boasted of some of the best midfielders in the world. The likes of Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Roy Keane regularly lit up the pitch with their heroics in the previous two decades. But they still had stiff competition from Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandes, Andrea Pirlo, Zinedine Zidane and many other world-class midfielders from Italy and Spain.
The Spanish and Italian clubs have found it hard to replace these legends with midfielders of equal class. Barcelona, Juventus, Milan and Bayern Munich do not have the same midfield prowess today, that they had when these legends were in their pomp.
When speaking of the top midfielders in the world today, names like Paul Pogba, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Kevin de Bruyne, N'Golo Kanté, Sergio Busquets, Marco Verratti and Thiago Alcântara come to mind. But even among these world-class talents, the Premier League players stand out.
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Modric and Busquets are undoubtedly two of the best midfielders of their generation, but with age, their magic has begun to decline. Clubs like Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid are on the hunt to replace their midfield superstars as they enter the twilight of their careers.
However, the players from the English teams are in the prime of their careers, which makes them stand tall over the aging legends.
Here, we look at 3 Premier League midfielders and analyze why they're the best in the world.
#3 N'Golo Kanté
Looking at the best defensive midfielders in the world, the one who stands out most in terms of their impact on their team is Chelsea star N'Golo Kanté.
Boasting a decorated career already, with two Premier League titles and the World Cup, the French superstar is just entering his prime. He is the first line of defense for Chelsea and France, and his ability to break opposition attacks through tackles or interceptions is second to none.
Kante's remarkable ability to read the game and tremendous work rate allow him to interpret the opponent's attacks, and make it impossible for attackers in the opposition team to get past him.
In addition to his defensive acumen, what makes him the world's best is his ability to lead the transition from defense to attack by making forward runs, or picking out a pass to start a break. Along with Eden Hazard, Kante orchestrated Chelsea's trophy-laden campaigns under Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri, and before that at Leicester City when they won the Premier League title against all odds.
The French midfielder was also instrumental in his nation's World Cup triumph in 2018, under the management of Didier Deschamps.
Kanté's rivals at the top of the pile of defensive midfielders include LaLiga legend Sergio Busquets and Real Madrid star Casemiro. While both of these players have had tremendously successful careers, their performances in the past couple of seasons have been below their standard.
Manchester City's Fernandinho is another such player who deserves to be mentioned in the list of the best defensive midfielders. But being over 34 years old now, even his brilliance has begun to wane.
All of these factors put Premier League's Kanté atop all the defensive midfliders from the top five leagues in the world.
#2 Kevin de Bruyne
The second round of Premier League fixtures saw Manchester City face Tottenham Hotspur. And Kevin de Bruyne reminded fans all over the world why he is possibly the greatest midfielder in the world right now, as he put up a masterclass of a performance.
His passing range, precision and vision are better than anyone else in the world, perhaps even greater than Lionel Messi. The heart of the Manchester City midfield, De Bruyne is a player every team in the world would want to have.
Owing to his extraordinary passing ability, the Belgian is known for his defense-splitting through balls, and over the top deliveries that can break any defensive setup. He also has a venomous shot in his arsenal and is one of the finest goalscoring midfielders in the world today.
De Bruyne was the brightest star in Manchester City's 100-point campaign in the 2017-18 season. And along with Eden Hazard, he was also inspirational in Belgium's World Cup run in 2018, where they ended up as semi-finalists.
Last season, due to De Bruyne missing a majority of the campaign due to injuries, his spotlight was taken by his teammates Bernado Silva and Raheem Sterling; the two served as Manchester City's driving forces in De Bruyne's stead. But the Belgian still made his mark at the end of the season when he made his return to the team, showing the extent of his impact on the team.
This season, if injuries don't get in his way, De Bruyne could possibly regain his title as the finest midfielder in the world. He would, however, face competition from players like Paul Pogba, Christian Eriksen and Frenkie de Jong.
Real Madrid aces Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, who had a disastrous 2018-19 season, would also be looking to redeem themselves. But with age, their abilities have begun to ebb, and that puts Premier League's De Bruyne clear of all of his rivals from the other leagues who could compete for the title of the best midfielder in the world.
#1 Paul Pogba
A conversation about the best midfielders in the world cannot be concluded without a mention of Paul Pogba. One of the best box to box, ball-playing midfielders in the world, Pogba, at the age of 26, is already one of the most successful footballers in the world.
He was one of the standout players for Juventus as they won four straight Serie A titles from 2013 to 2016, and he played a Champions League final in 2015.
Joining Manchester United in 2016, Pogba cemented himself as one of the best, as he helped Jose Mourinho's side win the Europa League in 2017. He was also the star performer for France, as he helped them lift the World Cup in 2018.
Pogba will be remembered for his goal against Croatia in the World Cup final, which was possibly the greatest moment of his career.
The Frenchman is known for his ability to run from box to box, providing defensive support, and also driving the attack and scoring goals. He has the vision and passing ability of a word class midfielder, but his ability to hold the ball to let his team formulate an attack, or to start a counter, are the features that make him so devastating for the opposition.
In terms of attacking prowess, few midfielders would come close to Pogba if he performs at the highest level again this season. With many of the best midfielders from the Spanish, German and French leagues, like Toni Kroos, Luka Moric and Sergio Busquets entering the twilight of their careers, the Premier League does indeed have the youngest crop of talents that will dominate football in the coming years.
Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante and Kevin de Bruyne are the first midfielders any coach would pick if he was assembling an all-star world XI. Along with those three, the British clubs also have players like Christian Eriksen, David Silva, Bernardo Silva and Scott McTominay, who are all tremendous talents that can safely help us conclude that the Premier League ranks highest in terms of having the best midfielders in the world.
