The 25 best attacking midfielders in world football - ranked

Attacking midfielders of the highest grade are like gold dust in modern football.

While systems around Europe are starting to phase out the classic attacking ten, there is still the need for creative midfielders to pull strings, whip in free kicks and score the odd banger from distance.

The best of the best are truly indispensable and replacing their talents is nigh-on impossible - the reason why they often command such a hefty price in the transfer market.

Here are the best 25 attacking midfielders in the world - ranked, of course.

25. Enzo Millot

Sebastian Hoeness has taken Stuttgart from the threat of relegation to the Champions League, and an array of understated figures have played key roles in the club's resurgence.

Enzo Millot is a name that may eventually rise to mainstream prominence, but for now, the French U21 international is merely a budding star.

Millot is a versatile operator who can work from between the lines but can also drop deeper and function more as a box-to-box. He scores and creates, enjoying himself in the Champions League this season (five goal contributions in eight games) despite Stuttgart failing to progress from the league phase.

A small release clause should be seized upon by potential buyers this summer.

24. Nico Paz

Cesc Fabregas's Como have emerged as one of the most watchable outfits on the continent this term, and Nico Paz has perhaps been the sole reason why.

With Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz already struggling for minutes at Real Madrid, a move away was the sensible option for Paz last summer. The form he's displayed in Serie A has seen his stock rise exponentially, but it's believed Madrid will buy the young playmaker back in 2026.

Paz is a masterful dribbler who thrives when given space to burst into. He's shone as Fabregas' chief creator this season but has also demonstrated an ability to work tirelessly without the ball. He's a manager's dream.

23. Oihan Sancet

Nico Williams ascent in Bilbao has captured the imagination, but Oihan Sancet is the beating heart of Ernesto Valverde's Athletic Club.

Sancet isn't a prolific creator. He's more of the space invader mould which Thomas Muller popularised. The Spaniard functions more as a second striker as opposed to a traditional number ten, and we've seen his natural box instincts manifest frequently in 2024/25.

Sancet is a standout ball-striker with a great sense of timing in the final third.

22. Justin Kluivert

Justin Kluivert's careeer seemed to be drifting into the wilderness. He'd proven to be serviceable but little else across the continent, with the likes of Roma, RB Leipzig, and Valencia all failing to get the best out of him.

A move to Bournemouth seemed to be an admission of where the Dutchman's career was heading, but Andoni Iraola is squeezing out every ounce of potential.

A shift to a central position has been the making of Kluivert, who's enjoying the best season of his career on the south coast. Kluivert's finally playing with the swagger he inherited from his father.

21. Charles De Ketelaere

After struggling to find his feet in Milan, De Ketelaere was sent to the Gian Piero Gasperini career revival clinic.

The Belgian's stock was at an all-time low when he rocked up at Atalanta in 2023 off the back of a season with the Rossoneri which saw him return a single goal contribution in 32 Serie A appearances.

However, Gasperini's magic worked almost instantly on De Ketelaere, who recorded ten league goals and eight assists in year one. He's remained productive in year two, typically operating with unique elegance while standing at 6'4.

20. Alex Baena

Villarreal have been a 4-4-2 team in recent years. They were under Unai Emery, and Marcelino hasn't deviated too much from the Spaniard's principles.

While Baena wasn't so much of a protagonist while Emery was in charge, he's blossomed into an unrelenting playmaker off the left flank for the Yellow Submarine. The left-back's advances allows Baena to drift infield and wreak havoc from optimal zones.

He's a top-class technician who boasts the traits of a traditional #10. Baena's eye for a pass is innate, and his ability to execute the right decision in the final third means he's emerged as a chance creation machine in La Liga.

19. James Maddison

It wasn't always plain sailing for James Maddison at Leicester City, with Brendan Rodgers happy to underutilise the Englishman due to his lack of defensive nous and sub-par work rate. However, he has evolved in these regards over the past couple of years to become one of the Premier League's most efficient playmakers.

He's a risk-taker in possession, a player that gets the crowd on their feet every time he receives possession in the attacking third. He's enjoyed himself in north London and has impressed from an output perspective this season, but he hasn't been able to take over matches regularly for the Lilywhites.

18. Mohammed Kudus

Mohammed Kudus had been linked consistently with Europe's elite before making the surprise move to West Ham from Ajax in the summer of 2023.

He's been a revelation for the Hammers, scoring and creating almost every weekend during his debut season while featuring either through the middle or in a wider inside-forward position from the left or right flank.

The powerful and often nonchalant Ghanaian will continue to be linked with a departure at the end of 2024/25, but he still has skills that need refining at the London Stadium. This season hasn't been particularly rewarding.

17. Rayan Cherki

Rayan Cherki is the antithesis of positionism. The 'system' has come to the fore in modern times, with managers keen to stifle individuals to appease collectivity.

Cherki is the ultimate individual, a talent worthy of paying your online subscriptions for. However, the French's brilliance works in harmony with Lyon's collective goal.

He's been around for a while, and it's easily forgotten that Cherki is still only 21! There are few who can do what he can with the ball at his feet, and the Frenchman is well on his way to becoming one of Europe's leading attacking midfielders.

16. Bernardo Silva

Bernardo Silva's versatility and established quality mean he's comfortable playing across midfield and attack for Manchester City. Whether operating through the middle or out wide, you know the Portuguese will deliver.

He has been an incredibly valuable asset to the Cityzens since his arrival in 2017. The diminutive maestro is a brilliantly tidy player who can also provide a bit of cutting edge when needed.

Guardiola often relies on Silva's ingenuity and flair in City's most high-profile encounters, but his influence has waned considerably over the past few months.

15. Morgan Rogers

Morgan Rogers is proving to be one of Unai Emery's favourites as Aston Villa continue their incredible ascent under the Spanish coach. Having shifted from a wide role to attacking midfield, we're starting to see him at his best.

Rogers is an excellent and powerful dribbler, often collecting the ball on the turn and driving through the opposition midfield. He's beginning to add end product to his game, too.

A first England call-up and cap arrived in March 2025, and grand occasions in claret and blue are on the horizon.

14. Eberechi Eze

There are few more entertaining players in the Premier League than Eberechi Eze right now.

The Crystal Palace star can score stunning free-kicks and regularly opens up opposition defences with his instinctive creativity.

Now a regular England international, Eze will almost certainly earn a move away from Crystal Palace in the near future, taking his pace, guile and versatility to one of Europe's elite sides.

13. Paulo Dybala

Injuries have hamstrung Paulo Dybala over the past few seasons, but the Argentine is nothing short of joyous to watch in full flow.

The aptly named La Joya is a throwback playmaker who plays the game at his own pace. He likes to drift infield from the right and create with that wand of a left foot. However, Dybala is more of a goalscorer than he is a creator, and despite suffering numerous injuries, he still puts out good numbers.

His status as an outright superstar has been thrust into considerable doubt over the past few years, and his move to Roma was an indication of his relative decline at the highest level.

For all his talent, Dybala simply isn't a player who aligns with the ideals of progressive, modern-day managers. Perhaps he was born a generation too late.

12. Morgan Gibbs-White

Morgan Gibbs-White played a key role in Nottingham Forest's survival over the past couple of seasons, and the Englishman is starring amid their potential rise to Europe's top table.

The midfielder is only getting better with each passing game, and Forest's stellar 2024/25 campaign has seen him come to the fore.

He's a destructive performer on the counter-attack, but an elegant playmaker from a deeper position when he needs to be.

11. Kevin De Bruyne

Few players combine strength, power, creativity and technical ability like Kevin De Bruyne.

The Belgian playmaker is incredibly difficult to stop when all of Man City's parts are moving with the precise synchronicity of a swan dance at the opera, showing devastating form when fit over the past few seasons.

Give him too much space, and De Bruyne will find the spare teammate at the back post. Close him down, and he'll blast into space for one of his unstoppable drives.

Unfortunately, injuries have taken their toll and the Belgian hasn't been anywhere near his best in 2024/25.

10. Xavi Simons

Having been exceptional for PSV Eindhoven, Xavi Simons earned himself a move back to Paris Saint-Germain during the summer of 2023 and then a loan switch to RB Leipzig to test himself at a slightly higher level.

The young Dutchman has enjoyed a productive time in the Bundesliga, impressing with his elegant dribbling ability and sharp eye for goal, and he's easily one of the best players in the German top flight right now.

Leipzig have since acquired Simons permanently as he aims to forge an impressive legacy in the Bundesliga.

There's been plenty of speculation over his antics in east Germany, but the canny Dutch playmaker is keen for his talent on the pitch to do the talking.

9. Dejan Kulusevski

Dejan Kulusevski has performed a variety of functions for Tottenham Hotspur. The former Juventus star has operated in a traditional right-wing role, while also featuring as a false nine in recent times.

However, it's in attacking midfield where Ange Postecoglou has got the best out of the talented Swede, even sometimes sacrificing his team's defensive organisation to enable Kulusevski to roam in a more advanced role.

He was Spurs' star during the first half of 2024/25 and ranks among the Premier League's most impressive performers this term.

8. Martin Odegaard

Former Real Madrid wonderkid Martin Odegaard has matured into quite the character. Already the captain of Norway, he was announced as Arsenal's new skipper before the start of the 2022/23 season.

Odegaard is blessed with a tidy left foot and is one of those players who boasts a wonderful 'feel' for the game. He understands timing and can pull off almost every pass in the book. His playmaking capacity has to be considered among the very best in the world.

The Norwegian star remains an integral part of Mikel Arteta's project, but there's no overlooking that 2024/25 has been bitterly disappointing for Odegaard.

7. Phil Foden

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has hailed Phil Foden's "special quality" in the past, and the Spaniard has done an excellent job of facilitating the England international's rise at the Etihad.

Foden glides across the pitch before exuding the utmost technical quality with the ball at his feet. He's a player you just can't take your eye off at times, such is his virtuosity.

The 2023/24 Premier League Player of the Season is gritty and tenacious without the ball, while Pep has used him in a myriad of functions - all of which he performs to the highest level. Not many boast Foden's positional flexibility.

There's been a dip this season amid City's collective demise, but the England international remains an undoubted superstar.

6. Dani Olmo

After starring in Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb, Dani Olmo joined RB Leipzig midway through the 2019/20 season and played a big role in Die Roten Bullen's progression to the Champions League semi-finals under Julian Nagelsmann.

Olmo slotted into Nagelsmann's vertical and fluid system seamlessly as he was used all over the pitch by the German manager. The Spaniard has since become a prominent member of the national team, notably contributing to Spain's triumph at Euro 2024 with a stream of goals.

Now plying his trade for Catalan giants Barcelona, Olmo is on track to becoming one of Spain's next superstars.

5. Bruno Fernandes

The pressure that comes with being a big-money Manchester United signing is unrivalled, and so many before Bruno Fernandes wilted under the spotlight.

However, the Portuguese creator set the world alight during his first 18 months at the club. After signing in January 2020, Fernandes notched 15 Premier League goal contributions in 14 appearances during the second half of the season before scoring 18 times in the league the following campaign.

Fernandes has definitely suffered during some of United's more depressing moments over the past few years, but the skipper's contributions have often saved the Red Devils from falling even further into the abyss.

He's shone on the big occasion under Ruben Amorim.

4. Cole Palmer

A true phenomenon, Cole Palmer has been extraordinary since swapping Man City for Chelsea at the start of the 2023/24 campaign. He scored and assisted a combined 33 goals in the Premier League, understandably being named the division's Young Player of the Season as a result.

Having since netted in a European Championship final with England, Palmer has continued his remarkable rise to the upper echelons of elite-level football, comfortably gracing our top three following his insane form.

The sky is the limit for the youngster, who also has the versatility and in-game intelligence to operate out wide.

3. Jamal Musiala

England and Germany fought it out for the right to have this teenage sensation represent them on the international stage.

Jamal Musiala had played for the Three Lions at various youth levels but is German-born and quickly racked up appearances for Germany's senior squad at a young age.

He has already established himself as a bona fide star with Bayern Munich, scoring the goal that helped his side pip Borussia Dortmund to the title in 2022/23.

Musiala can perform multiple roles but excels in an attacking midfield position due to his instincts in and around the box. He's an excellent dribbler, while his movement in the final third is Thomas Muller-esque.

2. Florian Wirtz

When the Bundesliga pioneered the return of football in 2020 following a lengthy COVID-induced break, Peter Bosz's Bayer Leverkusen were one of the sides desperate football lovers were keen to see. 

Kai Havertz was the name on the tip of everybody's tongues but Florian Wirtz also raised an eyebrow or two. It took some time for the young German to produce regularly for Die Werkself but by the time he suffered a devastating ACL rupture in March 2022, Wirtz had established himself as one of the world’s best teenage talents.

He took the mantle from Havertz with both hands and quickly emerged as Leverkusen's star attacking talent, winning the Bundesliga Player of the Season award in 2023/24 as Leverkusen went unbeaten en route to the title.

While Leverkusen have been unable to repeat their heroics this season, Wirtz has arguably been the Bundesliga's standout performer again.

1. Jude Bellingham

Few could have predicted the immediate impact Jude Bellingham would have when he signed for Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund.

The England international was already revered for his consistency in the Bundesliga but broke out as a bona fide attacking star in his first few months under Carlo Ancelotti, supremely filling the iconic void left by Karim Benzema.

Winning Real Madrid's and La Liga's Player of the Season in your debut campaign is no mean feat, with the powerful and versatile attacking midfielder crucial to Los Blancos' 2023/24 double.

Bellingham's output has dipped this season, but that was always expected given the lofty heights he reached in year one. He's the epitome of a superstar, one who combines vintage English traits with cultured continental playmaking.

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