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Midfielders
The pool of talent among midfielders currently is immense. Choosing 7 players out of everyone would be cruel, but that itself is a fun challenge for any football fan.
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Defensive Midfielders
Casemiro
Casemiro is arguably Real Madrid's most important player. His knack for breaking down attacks is crucial to Madrid's counter-attacking style of play and not many players do it as well as the Brazilian.
Casemiro consistently has over 5 tackles along with around 3 interceptions per game. He has also scored in crucial situations like the Champions League final and the El Clasico, which makes him an invaluable addition to this squad.
N'Golo Kante
N'Golo Kante has become a Chelsea and France fan favourite since his move to West London. A midfielder with unbelievable stamina, the manager is assured of a player giving his 100% with him in the team. A tireless worker and a master interceptor, Kante has cemented his place among the top defensive midfielders of the world.
Kante has won possession in the midfield more number of times than any other player in the Premier League this season. An impressive average of 3.6 tackles and 2.5 interceptions per game back up the fact that he is one of the best. Kante appeared in 35 games in the Premier League for Chelsea last season, and that was a huge factor determining Chelsea's success.
Attacking Midfielders -
Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is arguably the best attacking midfielder in the world currently. A dominating presence in the field, he is involved in almost everything that Manchester City do - be it starting an attack, or needing the killer pass or even breaking down attacks, call De Bruyne!
An extremely impressive player, he also has a knack for scoring crucial goals. He has recorded 28 assists since the beginning of last season, with around 2.8 key passes per game. He has transformed into the player that Manchester City revolves around.
He has taken up the role of a controller this season, with a whopping increase from 50 passes per game in 2016/17 to 75 passes per game this season. The following quote from Pep Guardiola sums it up:
“Kevin is one of the best players I have ever seen in my life,” Guardiola said, “in terms of how he can make absolutely everything, everything. He is a top, top quality player. We are so proud and so happy he is with us.”
Thiago Alcantara
A brilliant passer of the ball like his idol Xavi, Thiago Alcantara can either play as a central midfielder or an attacking midfielder. He had league-high interception stats (4.6 per game) in the Bundesliga in the 2016/17, reinforcing his impeccable defensive acumen.
Under Carlo Ancelotti last season, he played as a controller in midfield stringing an average of 95 passes per game. Bayern Munich revolved around Thiago last season, which is different to his role this season.
He has taken up a more attacking role rather than a controller, with an average of 67 passes, down from 95 per game. Thiago has gone on to become one of the most versatile central midfielders in the world, with his abilities in the defensive third and final third both extremely effective.
Toni Kroos and Luka Modric have been the undisputed lynchpins in midfield for Real Madrid. Although they have not hit top form this season, their performances last season definitely merit them a place in this squad. Kroos' calm and composed nature coupled with Modric's attacking acumen makes for a very difficult midfield pairing to face for any opponent team.
Toni Kroos
Kroos is arguably the best midfield controller in the world right now - he has a pass success rate of 93% since last season, and gets dispossessed a meagre 0.5 times in a game! A master in possession, he does his defensive duties as well as he provides through balls to the forwards. He had an impressive 2.8 key passes per game in all competitions last season. How Real Madrid snapped him up for £24 million will forever remain a mystery!
Luka Modric
Modric is more of a dribbler than Kroos with around 2.5 dribbles per game in the Champions League last season. He plays as the most attacking midfielder in the centre of the park for Madrid, not shying away from dribbling at defenders or even have a go at goal with his long shots.
His reputation has forever been on the rise since being named 'Worst La Liga Transfer of the Season' in 2014, and he showed why he is named among the best midfielders in the world last season.
Isco
The last midfielder to make the squad is Isco. Isco has risen at a highly exponential pace - he was integral to Madrid's La Liga triumph in the latter stages. He has continued in the same vein this season as well, becoming an undroppable member of the side.
His elegance and control of the ball are exquisite to watch. His performance against Italy in the World Cup qualifiers would give any doubters enough reasons to change their mind. He has taken up a free-form role at Real Madrid this season and he is allowed to roam the pitch freely without a fixed position.
Dribbling is his strong suit, with approximately 3 dribbles per game. He is the top scorer for Real Madrid this season so far in the league, with 4 goals to his name.
The nutmeg on Marco Verratti below sums up why he has been included in this squad:
"Not even [Lionel] Messi has come close to that level. When I saw his nutmeg, I felt like standing up and applauding too." - Marco Verratti on Isco after Italy's defeat to Spain
Honorable mentions:
Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Christian Eriksen, David Silva, Marco Verratti, Paul Pogba, Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane, Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic, Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal and Miralem Pjanic
