Top 10 World Cup Midfielders

The World Cup has witnessed many of the world's best midfielders light up the stage over the years and a lot of them have gone on to win the tournament itself.

The role of a midfielder has changed immensely over the years as there are now different kind of midfielders in attacking, defensive and box-to-box midfielders and it was at the World Cup where we arguably first saw it change.

The early years of the game had just all-round midfielders who would do a bit of everything and as the years progressed, we began to see different kinds of midfielders emerge in defensive and attacking midfielders.

The foreign countries were the ones who introduced those different kind of midfielders because the game in those countries was further ahead than it was in this country.

The players in the list are a mixture of all kinds of midfielders and most of them went on to the win the World Cup.

Now without further ordo, here is the list:

Paul Gascoigne

Andres Iniesta

Zinedine Zidane

Patrick Vieira

Lothar Matthaus

Andrea Pirlo

Xavi

Diego Maradona

Toni Kroos

Johan Cruyff

10. Paul Gascoigne

When I did my international top 10 series during the summer, Gazza featured in almost every single one and he's getting another mention in this one.

I had to put him down in tenth because he never won the World Cup and played in it just the once in 1990 when he was part of the England side that reached the semi finals.

That tournament was the one where he first announced on the world stage as he was an integral part of that England side with his ability to create and run the show from midfield.

His tournament didn't end the way he hoped it would as he broke down into tears after being booked in the semi final against Germany which meant that he would've been suspended for the final had England got there.

9. Johan Cruyff

Cruyff would've been a lot higher up this list had it been the top 10 midfielders of all-time because of how brilliant a player he was.

But as this is about the World Cup I had to have him quite low down because he never won the World Cup and he only played in it once in 1974.

He was part of the Holland side that reached the final at that World Cup where the Dutch were beaten in the final by Germany.

It was so unfortunate for him to lose that final because he was by far the star of the show at that tournament with his skills and influential performances.

It was at the 1974 World Cup where he first performed his famous Cruyff turn in a group game against Sweden and many people have tried copying it ever since.

8. Patrick Vieira

Vieira was part of the France side that won the World Cup in 1998 and set up the winning goal for Emmanuel Petit in the final against Brazil.

He only played just twice at that tournament including the final where he came off the bench before setting up the winning goal for Petit.

He played an even bigger role in the 2006 World Cup as his performances and contributions played a key role in France reaching the final where they went on to lose to Italy.

His performances at that tournament were rewarded with a place in the team of the tournament.

7. Toni Kroos

Kroos was part of the Germany side that won the World Cup in 2014 and an integral part of it too because of his creativity and vision.

He provided 4 assists during that tournament which was more than any other player and he was also named in the team of the tournament.

He also netted twice in the 7-1 win over Brazil with both of his goals coming two minutes apart from one another.

But his finest moment came in 2018 when he scored that brilliant free kick in stoppage time against Sweden which gave Germany a stay of execution before their eventual elimination in the group stages.

6. Andrea Pirlo

Pirlo won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 and was one of their standout performers throughout the tournament by dictating play in midfield and providing some crucial contributions.

He won the bronze award at that tournament which was the award given to the third best player and received more man of the match awards than any other player with three.

He ran the show many times throughout that tournament and his ability to do that played a key role in Italy going all the way in 2006.

He was one of the finest passers of the ball the game has ever seen because of his vision and ability to pick out any kind of pass from almost anywhere on the pitch.

5. Andres Iniesta

Iniesta was part of the Spain side that won the World Cup in 2010 and it was his winning goal in the final against Holland that sealed it.

He put in quality and influential performances right throughout that tournament as Spain went all the way and was also named in the team of the tournament.

His creativity, vision and ability to carry the ball up the pitch were what made him an integral part of that side alongside his performances on the pitch and partnership with Xavi.

4. Xavi

Xavi was also part of that 2010 Spanish winning side alongside Iniesta with their partnership playing an integral role in them going all the way.

He was the heartbeat of that Spain side because he was the one who would dictate play and control the flow of the game from midfield.

How Spain played was centered around him because of the fine passer of the ball he was and Spain being a side being a possession based side who wanted to move the ball quickly.

He was one of the finest passers of his generation because of his vision and ability to pick out any kind of pass from anywhere on the pitch.

3. Lothar Matthaus

Matthaus captained Germany to World Cup glory in 1990 and was arguably their best player as he worked his socks off in the midfield and scored some crucial goals.

He won the Ballon D'or off the back of that tournament, becoming the first and only defensive midfielder to win the award until Rodri scooped it in 2024.

He has to be the greatest defensive midfielder of all time because he could do pretty much everything in tackling, passing and carrying the ball up the pitch.

He covered every blade of grass at Italia 90 due to the energy and midfield engine he had and his performances played a key role in Germany going on to win that tournament.

2. Zinedine Zidane

Zidane was part of the France side that won the World Cup in 1998 on home soil and he netted twice in the final against Brazil.

He was France's main star at that tournament by providing many moments of quality and brilliance and it was at that tournament where he announced himself one of the best players in the world.

He went on to star at another World Cup in 2006 where he was named player of the tournament as France reached another final.

But that tournament didn't end well for him as he was sent off in the final for that famous headbutt on Marco Materazzi as France went onto lose to Italy on penalties in what was his final game in professional football.

1. Diego Maradona

Maradona single-handedly won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 and his performances during that tournament alone are why I have him at no.1.

He scored arguably the greatest goal of all-time at that tournament in his incredible solo goal against England where he beat almost the entire England team before putting the ball in the net.

That goal came after the controversial goal he scored with his hand which as we all know was dubbed as the Hand of God.

He played in four World Cup's with Argentina and played in another final in 1990 which Argentina went on to lose to Germany.

His last World Cup in 1994 didn't end well for him as he was sent home during the tournament after failing a drugs test which proved to be a turning point in his life.

MY TOP 10:

1. Diego Maradona

2. Zinedine Zidane

3. Lothar Matthaus

4. Xavi

5. Andres Iniesta

6. Andrea Pirlo

7. Toni Kroos

8. Patrick Vieira

9. Johan Cruyff

10. Paul Gascoigne