Every footballer on the planet has blemishes – weaknesses in their game they wish didn’t exist. But what if they didn’t? What would the ideal player look like in every position? Plucking specific traits from various superstars, theScore is diving into the lab to build the perfect footballer.
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In the fourth installment of our seven-part series, we’re assembling the perfect central midfielder. Basically, think Luka Modric on steroids.
Mind: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona)
Sergio Busquets isn’t fast. He isn’t particularly strong. He lacks the dynamism typically associated with central midfield superstars. And yet, he’s been the bedrock of Barcelona’s wildly successful spell over the last decade. Anchoring the midfield, the Spaniard acts as both a shield for the backline and a hub that the team’s possession-based system flows through. He’s one of the smartest midfielders in the game, using his brain to consistently outwit superior athletes.
Stamina: N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
N’Golo Kante is the real-life embodiment of the Energizer Bunny. He just never. stops. running. He’s more talented, technically, than some give him credit for, but there’s no denying his greatest attribute is his stamina. The indefatigable Frenchman covers ground like nobody else in the game, his energy never waning and his ability to be in all places at all times defying logic. It’s no coincidence that the last two Premier League champions, Leicester City and Chelsea, were powered by the Kante engine in midfield.
Tackling: Casemiro (Real Madrid)
Casemiro isn’t Real Madrid’s best player – which is nothing to be ashamed about, of course – but he is one of the club’s most vital. The Brazilian tackling machine led all central midfielders in Europe with an incredible 5.4 successful tackles per 90 minutes last season, and provides balance to the ultra-attacking Champions League kingpin. Zinedine Zidane has championed Casemiro since taking over as Madrid manager, a decision that’s paid off handsomely.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Passing: Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich) and Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
These two are the ultimate pass masters. It’s impossible to pick between them, so you get both. Deal with it.
Composure: Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
Regardless of where he is on the pitch, Marco Verratti is willing to try things that are more commonly seen in a video game. The diminutive Italian superstar is supremely confident in his abilities – which are, in fairness, spectacular. In a position so hectic, where players converge quickly, Verratti’s calm, collected nature with the ball at his feet is vital. A central midfielder simply can’t afford to be rattled by the frenzy around him.
Long-range shooting: Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
The most expensive player in history is unfairly targeted by critics who seem to take joy from nitpicking his every move, but despite their efforts to discredit him, Paul Pogba is objectively one of the best midfielders alive. He’s a physical marvel who combines vision and passing ability with a flair for the dramatic, but arguably his greatest strength is his ability to unleash vicious strikes from outside the penalty area. He may get carried away sometimes, sure, but the #Pogboom campaign didn’t come out of nowhere. Look for the Manchester United stud to find the net with regularity this coming season.
Dribbling: Naby Keita (RB Leipzig)
Players who can dribble like Naby Keita don’t usually play central midfield, which is one of the reasons Liverpool’s been told its €75-million bid for his services won’t suffice. Even for a gargantuan fee, RB Leipzig doesn’t want to lose one of the most unique midfielders in the world. Nobody out there can replicate what the Guinean provides.
Decision-making: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
“Decision-making” is, admittedly, something of a cop-out, but Luka Modric does everything at such an elite level that it’s the most fitting catchall for the brilliance of Real Madrid’s focal point. All the preceding players are superstars in their own right with a discernible marquee skill; Modric may not dribble at Keita’s level, tackle at Casemiro’s, or show off tricks and flicks like Pogba, but he can do all of it. He is, simply, the best.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images, unless otherwise stated)
