Some players have evolved from classy defensive midfielders into world-beating central midfielders, but there's still an abundance of quality remaining from those who sit a little deeper. Here, Sports Illustrated ranks the current best in the business.
Against the odds, Napoli lifted the Serie A title in 2024–25. Why “against the odds”? Because while their rivals were stacked with superstar names and eye-watering budgets, Antonio Conte built a team powered by Serie A veterans and players many had written off—Premier League castoffs, even.
Romelu Lukaku delivered the goals and Scott McTominay emerged—unexpectedly—as the standout box-to-box engine. But at the heart of it all was Billy Gilmour: quiet, tenacious and absolutely vital to Napoli’s success, particularly as the season wore on.