Who is the best defensive midfielder in the world?

Poll Results: Who Is The Best Defensive Midfielder In The World?

We asked you who you thought was the best defensive midfielder for your team, and the answer was quite unanimous, although the winner wasn't the favourite when the poll was made!

The defensive midfielder is one of the most crucial positions in the modern day football team, although there are many variations in the position itself. We asked all the fans in India to choose their favourite "toughie" in midfield, and the answer is loud and clear, Michael Essien!

Essien is perhaps one of the most powerful midfielders in the world today, although not a typical defensive midfielder, and has an endless supply of energy, tough tackling, and lots of pace going forward. He's got a brute of a right foot as well, which makes him more of an attacking threat than some of the others on the list. The pre-poll favourite according to us was Javier Mascherano, who's a classical example of a defensive midfielder, but he received less than half of Essien's votes!

Another tenacious midfielder, and AC Milan legend, Gennaro Gattuso came in third, although he never really came close to Mascherano. The rest of the players make up the numbers, although it can be safely said that Frings and Cambiasso received next to no votes. Essien will team up with his clubmate Frank Lampard in the central midfield for your side, so at least there wont be any problems related to them as a combination! Here are the official results:

Michael Essien
43.00%  
Javier Mascherano
20.00%  
Gennaro Gattuso
12.00%  
Marcos Senna
8.00%  
Daniele De Rossi
7.00%  
Yaya Toure
6.00%  
Esteban Cambiasso
2.00%  
Torsten Frings
2.00%  

http://www.talkaloadofbull.com/en-india/news/105/main/2009/02/12/1106639/poll-results-who-is-the-best-defensive-midfielder-in-the-world

Can anyone name any other defensive midfielder that should be in this class?

I suppose it depends on what you class as a 'defensive midfielder' really, is it someone that is primarily defense minded or simply a midfielder that sits deep?

If the second one then you could say Alonso, Pirlo for example.

Lee Cattermole 

how did masch only get 20%? he so should have won that! silly people!

I agree that Alonso should definitely be in that group somewhere!

Miguel Veloso is a good player too, maybe not the best in the world but if he came to the premiership, he could become the best

Mascherano is better at tackling, but Essien is stronger, faster and better in the air.
In short, although Essien isn't actually a better DM, he can do more stuff on the field.

No Momo   

Diarra from Madrid is pretty class too.

Mach Momo was sh*t for us

Mach Momo was sh*t for us

WTF? No chance. He was magnificent and then got a horrific eye injury and was lucky to even play football again. He did drop in form but can you blame him?

His first season was excellent IMO.

momo was a good tackler but couldnt pass a ball 2 foot

Javier Mascherano by a country mile

if ya take the liverpool shades off id say essien

look at the champions league quarter final where he made gerrard disappear

ya wouldnt have known he was even playing

also has power,speed good vision and can play killer passes

for me he just shades mascherano

I wouldnt class Essien as a defensive midfielder, no way.

Essien?!

He plays in defence more often than not.

Rigged!

mmmmmmm.......Gerrard... .no matter what possition we are talking about.......Gerrard ofcourse........sorry...i just want to say something.....
but being serious i think that Masscherano it's really amazing.....but essien it's more stronger than him.....so for me gatusso sometimes makes stupid things so it's not 2 good for me (it's only a comentary)....and senna it's really amazing 2.....but i see him not too fast.....so 4 me the best it's Gerrard