All-time rankings
Best Champions League midfielders of all time
Lionel Messi (Barcelona, 2010s) is the highest-rated Champions League midfielder in the 17-0 legends pool with an overall of 97. Below are the top 15 midfielders ranked by a position-weighted blend of attack, defence, technique and big-game mentality.
- 97
#1 · Right Wing / Attacking Mid
Lionel Messi
Barcelona · 2010s · ATT 98 · DEF 52 · TEC 99 · MEN 93
- 95
#2 · Striker / Attacking Mid
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Real Madrid · 1950s · ATT 95 · DEF 70 · TEC 93 · MEN 96
- 93
#3 · Left Wing / Attacking Mid
Ronaldinho
Barcelona · 2000s · ATT 92 · DEF 52 · TEC 97 · MEN 90
- 92
#4 · Centre Back / Defensive Mid
Franz Beckenbauer
Bayern München · 1970s · ATT 78 · DEF 94 · TEC 92 · MEN 96
- 92
#5 · Striker / Attacking Mid
Roberto Baggio
Juventus · 1990s · ATT 91 · DEF 50 · TEC 95 · MEN 88
- 91
#6 · Striker / Attacking Mid
Alessandro Del Piero
Juventus · 2000s · ATT 90 · DEF 52 · TEC 92 · MEN 92
- 90
#7 · Right Wing / Central Mid
Luís Figo
Real Madrid · 2000s · ATT 88 · DEF 62 · TEC 94 · MEN 90
- 89
#8 · Attacking Mid
Zinedine Zidane
Real Madrid · 2000s · ATT 88 · DEF 66 · TEC 98 · MEN 95
- 88
#9 · Central Mid / Attacking Mid
Andrés Iniesta
Barcelona · 2010s · ATT 85 · DEF 70 · TEC 97 · MEN 95
- 88
#10 · Central Mid
Luka Modrić
Real Madrid · 2020s · ATT 83 · DEF 74 · TEC 95 · MEN 96
- 87
#11 · Right Back / Left Back / Defensive Mid
Philipp Lahm
Bayern München · 2010s · ATT 76 · DEF 89 · TEC 90 · MEN 90
- 87
#12 · Centre Back / Defensive Mid
Matthias Sammer
Borussia Dortmund · 1990s · ATT 74 · DEF 90 · TEC 86 · MEN 92
- 87
#13 · Defensive Mid / Centre Back
Frank Rijkaard
AC Milan · 1990s · ATT 78 · DEF 90 · TEC 88 · MEN 92
- 87
#14 · Defensive Mid
Andrea Pirlo
AC Milan · 2000s · ATT 78 · DEF 74 · TEC 96 · MEN 92
- 87
#15 · Central Mid
Xavi Hernández
Barcelona · 2010s · ATT 80 · DEF 74 · TEC 97 · MEN 92