Ranked! The 10 best defensive midfielders in the world
In modern football, it's a necessity of any team that a specialised defensive midfielder holds the midfield together, even if the roles become blurred during games.
'When I left Real Madrid, I'm not saying I punished them, but they realised they weren't going to make the same mistake any more': Real Madrid icon is glad that Rodri won the Ballon d'Or
Rodri's Ballon d'Or win highlights the essential value of defensive midfielders in modern football.