Ranking the Top 10 best attacking midfielders of 2022

These players were key in attack for club and county

Attacking midfielders are the highest grade and are like gold dust in modern football. An attacking midfielder or a number 10 is the creative mastermind of the team. He sits behind the forwards and is tasked with creating chances for them. Attacking midfielders can be a real asset to a side with their quick thinking and execution, times have changed now, and these attacking midfielders are dynamic, combative and intense, all while maintaining their creative and technical qualities in the same breath.

There are plenty of world-class attacking midfielders in the world right now. Although their responsibilities are more or less the same, their profiles might not be identical. Some are excellent at playing passes that others might not even think of, while others can navigate tight spaces better than the rest. Here are the top ten best-attacking midfielders of 2022.

10. Hakan Calhanoglu

During his time with AC Milan, the Turkish midfielder had already established himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in Serie A. He formed a formidable attacking trio with Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez up top for Inter Milan. Calhanoglu is also a set-piece specialist, his performance in the UCL for his team was also very good.

9. Lorenzo Pellegrini

A progressive ball-playing midfielder, Pellegrini has shone since becoming Roma's captain. Capable of passing through the lines, the Italian is extremely comfortable playing off of both feet and linking the team together. He also has an eye for goal and is just as happy getting into the box for an attack as he is sitting on the edge and placing a shot into the top corner. The 26-year-old doesn't shirk a challenge either, with his stamina allowing him to recover quickly and regain possession for his side. He is someone who is also a favourite of his coach.

8. Martin Odegaard

 His playmaking capacity has to be considered among the very best in the world. Odegaard is blessed with a tidy left foot, and he’s one of those players who boast a wonderful ‘feel’ for the game. He understands timing and can pull off almost every pass in the book. The Norwegian star is playing a key role in Mikel Arteta’s exciting project at Arsenal, and he has all the makings of a modern-day Gunners icon. He’s going from strength to strength. His performance has been very crucial for his team in the Premier League.

7. Mason Mount

Mount possesses the ability to play anywhere across the frontline but is at his best when operating behind his forwards. Over the past couple of seasons, Mount has grown into one of the best-attacking midfielders in the Premier League. Mount’s a likeable character who certainly knows how to perform a creative midfield function to a very high level. His movement is excellent, while his ball-striking stands out as an impressive attribute. He notched a double-digit goal and assist hauls in the Premier League last season.

6. Thomas Muller

The self-proclaimed 'Raumdeuter' or 'space interpreter, Thomas Muller, is a phenomenal footballer. He is one of the most versatile and intelligent footballers of his generation and is a dream to play alongside any striker. Muller's link-up play and movement are world-class and also plays top-tier football with ice in his veins. Muller remains a crucial part of a dominant Bayern side and he’s one of the very few footballers to master an utterly unique function.

5. Bruno Fernandes

Bruno's incisive passing and long-range shots can infuriate fans when they don't work, but are glorious when they do. A returner of plenty of goals and assists each season, Fernandes' work rate and desire to win are second to none. His ball-striking, vision and risk-taking are admirable traits. Even though sometimes he is not consistent with his performance but still he has a lot of quality to create problems for the opponents.

4. Bernardo Silva

He can create and score by cutting in off the right, combining in the tightest of spaces, bypassing pressure with the utmost tranquillity, and hassle opponents into submission. Silva may well be the complete footballer. Perhaps the Portuguese international's greatest quality, though, is his dribbling. Able to keep the ball glued to his foot, Bernardo rarely loses possession and regularly takes defenders out of the game by committing them into mistimed tackles. 

3. Jamal Musiala

The teenager has already established himself as a bona fide star in Munich with Bundesliga tyrants Bayern, as well in the German national team. Musiala can perform multiple roles, but he excels in an attacking midfield position due to his instincts in and around the box. He’s an excellent dribbler, while his movement in the final third is Thomas Muller-esque.  His mazy runs, physicality and awareness are all excellent, and, while he is still only a teenager.

2. Christopher Nkunku

Using body feints, close control, strength and guile, Nkunku often manages to squeeze out of tight spots with the ball and start attacks for RB Leipzig. A strong dribbler, the 24-year-old loves dragging defenders out of position, too, before releasing the ball at the perfect moment for a better-positioned teammate. Now in Chelsea, he will be a great asset for Potter.

1. Kevin De Bruyne

It’s going to be difficult to find another attacking midfielder who can rival Kevin De Bruyne at the moment; the man has been an absolute masterclass for Pep Guardiola in recent times. Once the ball lands at his feet he switches gears and leaves his markers behind. In the opponent’s final third he always seems to pick out the correct pass which means the ball only needs to be tapped into the net. He is a joy to play with for attackers as he has the ability to pick out his teammates from anywhere on the pitch with precision.