Rank these midfielders in an order.

[JPB]

Scholes
Pirlo
Xavi
Iniesta
Gerrard
Lampard
Modric
Kroos

 

[big rons sovereign]

Scholes
Scholes
Scholes
Scholes








The rest.

 

[DickDastardly]

What are we ranking them on? Number of trophies? CL? League titles?

Modrić is a dirty little rat, but he's up there with Xavi and Iniesta....

Xavi
Modrić
Iniesta
Scholes
Pirlo
Kroos
Lampard
Gerrard

 

[El Jefe]

Overrating of Scholes and underrating of Gerrard is a given in this thread.

The players should be rated on a cumulative of what they have done domestically, in european competitions and in international tournaments. The top four without question is Xavi, Iniesta, Pirlo, Modric. Gerrard, Scholes and Lampard come next with Kroos last. While Kroos has trophies at every level there were more important players for Germany, Madrid and Bayern in their victories.

 

[Tallis]

I think Iniesta and Lampard are slightly odd fits in that group. Someone may prove me wrong but Lampard scored a lot more goals than any of them except maybe Scholes in certain years when he played a more advanced role.

Similarly, Iniesta was a lot more attacking than most of them and I think maybe should be compared against Zidane, Totti although his numbers may not be as good as the other 2.

I will leave out Scholes to remove an element of bias.

Modric / Xavi / Iniesta - very hard to seperate. Each of them has won a lot, ultra high skill level. While trying to break the tie, if someone asked me if I could just take one to play for Man Utd, I would probably take Modric. I think Xavi would rely a little bit more on the system than Modric would.

Kroos / Gerard / Pirlo / Lamps - would put them below the first bucket. Gerrard was creative but didn’t provide enough control. Kroos is more steady but doesn’t excite in the way the others do. Pirlo - elegant player but I always thought he was a little overated. If he played in the premier league, people would consider him a high end version of Jorginho. Lamps - He scored more goals than any of them but would argue didn’t have the skill comparable to others .

 

[Zehner]

Xavi, Iniesta
Modric, Kroos
Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard

 

[MattofManchester]

Modric - feel like he's been the best midfielder of the last decade and some for me.
Xavi
Iniesta
Scholes
Kroos
Pirlo
Gerrard
Lampard

 

[Macern]

Easy

Scholes
Iniesta
Xavi
Pirlo
Gerrard
Modric
Lampard
Kroos

 

[Macern]

The Scholes quotes will inevitably be rolled out at some point, so interesting to remember on the other side that Scholes himself said he modelled his game on Kroos at the end of his career, don't think you can pay a much higher compliment than that.

Source?

 

[kafta]

Iniesta
Pirlo
Xavi
Modric
Scholes
Kroos
Gerrard
Lampard

 

[youngrell]

A lot of overrating of Modric in here, as great as he is.

 

[OrcaFat]

I can't rank them all, but Iniesta is probably the best in that group players.

I'm a bit biased though, as he might be my favorite non-United player.

Same here.

 

[NasirTimothy]

Lampard, Gerrard, Xavi, Iniesta, Pirlo, Modric, Kroos, Scholes.

Based on their ability, performances, peak, influences, achievement and overall.

Iniesta
Xavi
Pirlo
Modric
Scholes
Gerrard
Kroos
Lampard

 

[Invictus]

1. Xavi Hernández: reached the highest ever level for a central midfield architect, and the driving force behind Barcelona and Spain's historic successes (including his expertise in their defensive strategem); best overall passer on all three levels, and the greatest central-ish midfielder of all time with Matthäus and Rijkaard.
2. Andrés Iniesta: probably the best needle midfielder in football history, one of the most effective and elusive dribblers of all time even if you include forwards and wingers, and his unselfishness made him an immaculate complementary weapon. Also boasts a glittering resumé in key moments. Not much between him and the likes of Zidane or Laudrup, all things considered.
3. Andrea Pirlo: archetypal deep-lying midfielder and accomplished at practically every level of the sport. Best player of the U-21 European Championship, key cog in Milan's European dynasty from the 2000s, established a new domestic dynasty with Juventus in the 2010. The third most important Italian player in the 2006 World Cup and subsequently led them to the 2012 European Championship final.
4. Luka Modrić: astonishingly complete central midfield playmaker — press-resistant and a good counter-presser, snake-like dribbler, neat and effective passer (though obviously not comparable to the masters), committed to his teams' defensive game-plans and possessed a great engine, et cetera. Came alive on several significant grand occasions...which adds gold-dust to his profile.
5. Paul Scholes: probably the most technically sublime English midfielder of the last 75 years with Charlton and Gascoigne; and the understated but hugely effective schemer behind United's modern successes. Also one of the greatest and most precise long passers of all time with the likes of Günter Netzer. Could have reached an ever higher individual zenith in a team that was properly built around his remarkable possession play.
6. Toni Kroos: somewhat flawed but a largely accurate passer with metronomic qualities, and also fairly effective from set pieces. A lesser version of Scholes in my view, and it's no wonder that the “Ginger Prince” loves this guy...

I love watching Toni Kroos. I think he’s brilliant. I love the way he controls the ball and controls games. He can really play a pass and has superb vision. Kroos is capable of scoring goals too, from outside the box on either foot. I just wish Man United had signed him.

7a and 7b. Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard: trickiest assessments of the lot. Both of them were very good, no doubt about that; but neither could consistently regulate the flow of the game for their teams. Rate the former at a slightly higher level because he was more fundamentally sound, consistent over the years, simpler to integrate into the whole and more disciplined in possession or off the ball. Gerrard's propensity for turning in one-man-army performances obviously led to a lot of highlight moments, but also made him a liability at the worst of times — Liverpool just didn't care for the most part because he was their knight in shining armor and the difference-maker-in-chief for some less than stellar outfits.

 

[OrcaFat]

Iniesta
Pirlo
Xavi
Modric
Scholes
Kroos
Gerrard
Lampard

Can’t argue with that too much. I feel Scholes ought to be higher up the list but can’t quite make the argument for it.

 

[NasirTimothy]

A lot of overrating of Modric in here, as great as he is.

He was absolutely epic in the last World Cup without a superteam behind him, which says a lot IMO. There’s players on the list that I rate higher than him (Xavi, Iniesta etc.), but the truth is that we’ve never seen what those guys can do when they don’t have world class players around them in every other position.

 

[bosnian_red]

A lot of overrating of Modric in here, as great as he is.

It's not everything but it's also a pretty big thing still, he's the only guy who has won a Ballon d'or from that group and is the only non Ronaldo or Messi player to win it since Kaka in 2007. And all the trophies he's won and how he drags Croatia up during International tournaments. He's not Xavi or Iniesta but he's ahead of the rest for me.

 

[wolvored]

Xavi Iniesta
Pirlo Modric
Gerard Lampard Scholes
Kroos
The best 2 midfielders in the best team I have ever seen.

 

[WeePat]

Okay just to stick up for and show some love to my guy a little.

Xavi
Iniesta
Modric
Lampard
Pirlo
Scholes
Kroos
Gerrard

It always looks bad when you put someone near the bottom of a list like this because it looks like you're saying he's crap, but it's elite vs elite so there's very very little between some of these.

 

[roonster09]

Xavi
Iniesta
Scholes, Pirlo, Modric
Kroos, Lampard, Gerrard

 

[sp_107]

Xavi
Iniesta
Modric
Pirlo
Scholes
Kroos
Gerrard
Lampard

I almost agree except you think Modric better than Scholes?

 

[ROFLUTION]

This is the problem with England as well, too many people focus on those things and not the core important things.

Which are? Tell me what core important things Scholes didn't master? Tackling only weakness that springs to mind. Not that Xavi had to tackle a lot in a tiki taka team with Busquets behind him neither

 

[The holy trinity 68]

It's not everything but it's also a pretty big thing still, he's the only guy who has won a Ballon d'or from that group and is the only non Ronaldo or Messi player to win it since Kaka in 2007. And all the trophies he's won and how he drags Croatia up during International tournaments. He's not Xavi or Iniesta but he's ahead of the rest for me.

Xavi or Iniesta would have won the Ballon D'or if it wasn't for prime Messi and Ronaldo. Modric came at a time when both had slightly declined and also when everyone was a bit tired of Messi and Ronaldo dominating the awards for over a decade and wanted a change. Modric was definitely not the best player that year, and was also not as good that year as when Xavi and Iniesta finished 3rd and 2nd, they were both definitely better that year than Modric when he won it.

 

[Blood Mage]

1) Xavi
2) Iniesta
3) Pirlo
4) Scholes
5) Modric
6) Kroos
7) Lampard
8) Gerrard

 

[NasirTimothy]

Xavi or Iniesta would have won the Ballon D'or if it wasn't for prime Messi and Ronaldo. Modric came at a time when both had slightly declined and also when everyone was a bit tired of Messi and Ronaldo dominating the awards for over a decade and wanted a change. Modric was definitely not the best player that year, and was also not as good that year as when Xavi and Iniesta finished 3rd and 2nd, they were both definitely better that year than Modric when he won it.

There doesn’t seem to be anything in his post that contradicts what you said….?

 

[bosnian_red]

Xavi or Iniesta would have won the Ballon D'or if it wasn't for prime Messi and Ronaldo. Modric came at a time when both had slightly declined and also when everyone was a bit tired of Messi and Ronaldo dominating the awards for over a decade and wanted a change. Modric was definitely not the best player that year, and was also not as good that year as when Xavi and Iniesta finished 3rd and 2nd, they were both definitely better that year than Modric when he won it.

Yep I don't disagree (though I think he fully deserved the Ballon d'Or in 2018, was phenomenal when it mattered most, carried Croatia to a WC final, and won the CL. Xavi and Iniesta are a step above the rest but Modric is right below them and ahead of the rest who never showed the top level that he did.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

There doesn’t seem to be anything in his post that contradicts what you said….?

Yeah true but using the Ballon D'or as evidence of a better player is not always so clean cut.

 

[Hammondo]

Which are? Tell me what core important things Scholes didn't master? Tackling only weakness that springs to mind. Not that Xavi had to tackle a lot in a tiki taka team with Busquets behind him neither

I'm not saying he wasn't good at it, but compared to some of the others on this list he didn't dictate play on their level.

 

[El Jefe]

I almost agree except you think Modric better than Scholes?

Objectively speaking what is the argument for Scholes being better than Modric. Scholes was absolutely incredible but he hasn't had close to the influence Modric has in Europe and international football.

 

[lucashood]

Keane who isn't on the list was better than them all

 

[NasirTimothy]

Yeah true but using the Ballon D'or as evidence of a better player is not always so clean cut.

I don’t think he was doing that but I don’t want to speak for him. I think he was merely pointing out that Modric has one and it is significant, that’s what I got from it. He’s pretty clear that it doesn’t make him as good as Xavi or Iniesta necessarily.

 

[NasirTimothy]

Yep I don't disagree (though I think he fully deserved the Ballon d'Or in 2018, was phenomenal when it mattered most, carried Croatia to a WC final, and won the CL. Xavi and Iniesta are a step above the rest but Modric is right below them and ahead of the rest who never showed the top level that he did.

Pirlo?

 

[bosnian_red]

Pirlo?

Don't think he ever reached the top level that Modric did so he's behind Modric for me.

 

[Lynty]

Ineista
Xavi
-
Modric
Pirlo
-
Scholes
Kroos
-
Lampard
Gerrard

 

[bosnian_red]

I don’t think he was doing that but I don’t want to speak for him. I think he was merely pointing out that Modric has one and it is significant, that’s what I got from it. He’s pretty clear that it doesn’t make him as good as Xavi or Iniesta necessarily.

Yeah pretty much. You can't ignore a Ballon d'Or and you can't ignore 4 CL titles or reaching a World Cup final with Croatia. Those are all absolutely massive achievements. All of those players played for great and dominant teams and all but Modric played in very talented international teams too, but overall career impact I'd have Modric above all but Xavi and Iniesta.

 

[Hammondo]

Ineista
Xavi
-
Modric
Pirlo
-
Scholes
Kroos
-
Lampard
Gerrard

I think this is fair.

 

[NasirTimothy]

Yeah pretty much. You can't ignore a Ballon d'Or and you can't ignore 4 CL titles or reaching a World Cup final with Croatia. Those are all absolutely massive achievements. All of those players played for great and dominant teams and all but Modric played in very talented international teams too, but overall career impact I'd have Modric above all but Xavi and Iniesta.

Fair enough

 

[Camilo]

Iniesta
Xavi
Gerrard
Modric
Scholes
Pirlo
Kroos
Lampard

 

[NasirTimothy]

Don't think he ever reached the top level that Modric did so he's behind Modric for me.

I think Pirlo at his best was a better player but fair enough.

 

[Paxi]

Xavi
Iniesta

Scholes
Modrić
Pirlo

Kroos
Lampard
Gerrard

Most of those are quite close — there’s not much between Xavi & Iniesta (I prefer the latter personally but you can’t argue with Xavi’s influence), then there’s a group of three players of roughly similar ability (went with Scholes first due to my obvious bias), then I put Kroos — wonderful player, but for me he is slightly below the above-mentioned players — it may be weird to say that about a player who had won everything bar the Euros, but I always felt like he could’ve pushed himself more and achieved even better individual level of performances...

At the bottom there are Lampard & Gerrard who look out of place in that list not based on their ability (they’re not far off the rest of the players aside from the top 2), but because they’ve played in completely different roles. Neither were true playmakers, even though both were very good passers. Lampard ahead of Gerrard as I feel like it today — I’d take his adaptability & consistency over Gerrard’s Roy of the Rovers style, even though the latter was more talented out of the two.

Great post. Again.