As the world is ready to enter into 2020s, We are coming with "Decade Diaries" to celebrate the last decade. Here in this blog,we are discussing the top midfielders in 2010-19, who made it big during this period.
Andres Iniesta:
One of the most talented and creative minds of the decade, if not the century, Andres Iniesta is a name whose echoes will be heard in the hall of fame of the beautiful game for countless years to come. If football is art then Iniesta is the Picasso of it. The Spaniard retired from international football in 2018 and moved away from his Catalan outfit. There have only been a handful of players who could match or outclass Iniesta in any aspect of his game, the latter being an extreme rarity. Iniesta’s understanding of the game made him a valuable part of his club and country squads. Watching Iniesta maneuver through tight spaces was an absolute treat. One of the finest footballing minds ever to grace the field, featuring on the FIFPro World XI eight times this decade alone and nine times in total. A record, second only to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Leo Messi and Sergio Ramos.
Kevin De Bruyne:
From Genik in Belgium, at the start of this decade to one of the finest clubs in the world, Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne has certainly made his way to the top in world football. The Belgian immaculate sense of positioning and control over the ball allows him to execute a myriad of clinical passes penetrating the defences of his opponents. His ability to pull off astonishing long shots and inch perfect long balls makes him a master marksman. The Belgian has seen a lot from Chelsea, Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg and finally Manchester City(£55 million). What initially seemed like an exorbitant fee turned out to be nothing considering the talent KDB had to offer. Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola KDB has flourished and evolved into a fine player adept at smashing belters and crossing inch perfect balls across the final third.
Toni Kroos:
One of the most decorated midfielders this decade, the German boasts of winning the Champions League 4 times with Bayern Munich and with Real Madrid. He led his team to glory on the international stage as well, winning the FIFA World Cup in 2014, the amount of titles Kroos and his teams have won truly shows that the German possesses the Midas touch. An exquisite player unrivalled in control over the ball and precision with long range shots, Kroos found his way to the first team of the Bavarian stalwarts in the 2011-2012 season and has not looked back since. Kroos’ ability to dictate play from a deep-seated position and his display of control and precision over long balls proved to be one of the major reasons behind the success of the German international outfit. He took Los Blancos up on their offer and moved to the Spanish Capital almost immediately where he led them to glory in the Champions League as they won the coveted trophy thrice from 2016-2018.
N’golo Kante:
The man who led the Foxes to victory, when all seemed against them, the odds stacked against their favour, it was the little good luck charm that led them to domestic glory. A FIFA World Cup winner in 2018, the french midfielder is the heart of each and every squad he graces. Hounding players to go all out on the pitch, his attitude was the secret behind Leicester’s success in the Premier League. His move to Chelsea in 2016 displayed his will to grow and win. Under the tutelage of Antonio Conte, the Frenchman evolved into one of the most hardworking and committed midfielders in the league. Whatever the situation he can always been seen displaying his pearly whites, a true gem of a person both on and off the pitch.
Andrea Pirlo:
The Italian is one of the most professional athletes to ever grace a football pitch. The only reason as to why he is not featured higher on the list is because he chose to move away from the highest level of competitive football with his move to New York City in 2015. Pirlo saw the game as no other player on the world. He understood the game in a way that allowed him to control the flow of play on his own personal terms. Italian football was forever changed after his free move to Juventus from AC Milan in 2011. He took La Vecchia Signora to new heights and anyone who has watched him play will agree that the numbers and statistics do his genius no justice. Pirlo’s majestic ability to pull the strings of the game from a central position makes him one of the finest talents to ever come out of Italy.
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