Midfielders are the heart of every team, and they're some of the most widely celebrated players in the world. Just as we saw some of the most creative players in this position, modern football has ushered in some of the most gifted midfielders who have been successful in the role. Here are the best defensive midfielders in the world right now: 20. Granit Xhaka (Sunderland AFC) Granit Xhaka revived his career with the Bundesliga move, winning the league and the German Cup with Bayer Leverkusen. He's now the captain of the newly promoted Sunderland side. Granit Xhaka is known for his brilliance and intelligence, especially dictating the pace of the game from the midfield. 19. Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City, Croatia) Kovacic brings experience to the Manchester City midfield and has continued to maintain an average rating even though he's had mixed showings in some games. The Croatian is usually operating from the central midfield but rotates between the central midfield and th...