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#3 Roy Keane
One of the greatest midfielders to have graced the Premier League, Manchester United legend Roy Keane made the defensive midfielder position his own during his highly successful stint at Old Trafford.
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Renowned for his tough tackles, aggression and his ability to win the ball back from the opposition, Roy Keane was one of the most important players for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
Often leading from the front, Roy Keane won an incredible seven Premier League titles at Manchester United and was named in the PFA team of the year on five different occasions.
Keane was a true leader on the pitch, and his tackling, determination and talent inspired Manchester United to become one of the most successful teams of all time.
#2 Sergio Busquets
The all-conquering Barcelona and Spain side had Xavi and Iniesta taking all the plaudits for their efforts in midfield. However, the player who was most vital for tiki-taka to work was Sergio Busquets.
The Spaniard did all the dirty work in the middle of the park, which enabled the likes of Barcelona and Spain to play beautiful football and provided the talented attacking players the freedom to express themselves.
A true legend of the game, Busquets not only excels in positioning skills and winning the ball back, but he also excels in starting his team's attacks with his simple yet incisive passing.
While Busquets has not been at his best for Barcelona in the last two seasons, the 8-time La Liga winner, 3-time Champions League winner, FIFA World Cup winner and Euro Championship winner has already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest midfielders to have ever played for Barcelona and Spain.
The importance of Busquets to the team was best summed up by Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos:
"There are a number of players I like, but the one we perhaps need is Busquets."
#1 Lothar Matthaus
The only German to win both the Ballon d'Or award and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, Lothar Matthaus is arguably the greatest defensive midfielder of all time.
A true Bayern Munich and German legend, Lothar Matthaus dominated his opponents at the centre of the park and was known for his excellent tactical awareness and intelligence.
Highly successful with both club and country, Lothar Matthaus played in an incredible five FIFA World Cups, which showed his longevity at the top of the game. The respect Matthaus had in the game could be seen from the fact that Diego Maradona called the German midfielder his 'greatest ever rival'.
A true legend of the game and one of the most complete footballers to have ever graced the pitch, Lothar Matthaus will forever be remembered as one of Germany's greatest players.
