The 10 greatest British midfielders in football history have been ranked

As Britain is one of the historic hubs of football, it is only right that it has produced its fair share of talent throughout history, and in terms of midfielders, some of the greats of the game in the middle of the park have come out of these aisles.

Currently there are an extraordinary group of young, talented footballers in this area of the pitch that are excelling at club level and have an abundance of potential. England possesses superstars such as Jude Bellingham and Kobbie Mainoo, while Scotland have John McGinn and Billy Gilmour.

However, taking a closer look throughout the history of England, Wales, and Scotland, the best eleven midfielders of all time from this region have been named and ranked – in order.

Ranking factors

• International achievements (honours, appearances, goals, assists, etc)
• Club achievements (honours, appearances, goals, assists, etc)
• Individual awards
• Legacy within football

Related

10 Greatest Players who Could’ve Played for England in Football History [Ranked]

England have missed out on some of football’s biggest names who have decided to remain faithful to their country of birth or a family member.

11 Bryan Robson

Nationality: English

Beginning this list with a man who was named ‘Captain Marvel’ for his clutch performances during the 80s, Bryan Robson became a beloved figure for Manchester United and England. Captain for both club and country during his career, Robson was the definition of a good old-fashioned box-to-box midfielder, who was a very competent player in the defensive third but also had the ability to get on the scoresheet quite regularly.

In his career, he was a six-time PFA Team of the Year recipient and won Manchester United their first two Premier Leagues of many, as well as an FA Cup, three League Cups, two Super Cups, and a Cup Winners’ Cup. He also held the record for the quickest goal ever in a World Cup for 20 years after scoring against France in 1982 after only 27 seconds.

10 Jim Baxter

Nationality: Scottish

One of a few top Scottish midfielders to make this list, Jim Baxter was remarkably talented and is one of the best footballers that the country has ever produced. Well known for being a key man in the Scotland side that held a phenomenal record against England, recording only one loss in his time with the national side, famously juggling the ball during the 3-2 win at Wembley in 1967, much to the anger of the English, who were world champions at the time, with that Scottish side later being referred to as the ‘Wembley Wizards’.

Winning all of his accolades in his time at Rangers in his home country, Baxter won three Scottish championships, three Scottish cups, and four Scottish League Cups in his time, and also enjoyed an impressive spell in the North East of England at Sunderland, where he was nominated in 13th place for the Ballon d’Or in 1965.

Related

11 Best British Players in Serie A History (Ranked)

Including David Beckham and Jimmy Greaves, the best British players to play in the Serie A have been revealed.

9 Paul Gascoigne

Nationality: English

One of the most talented footballers to have ever come out of Britain, Paul Gascoigne was one-of-a-kind in terms of ability and personality, turning him into a superstar in England during the 90s. His magical ability on the ball to shift it either way with superb balance made him impossible to defend at times.

In his career, Gascoigne won two Scottish Championships and a Scottish Cup at Rangers, an FA Cup in his time at Tottenham Hotspur, and was awarded Player of the Year for Newcastle United in the 1987/88 season. The most memorable moment of his career may be the unbelievable volley that he scored against Scotland in Euro 96, which was also followed by his iconic dentist chair celebration.

8 Billy Bremner

Nationality: Scottish

Another Scottish midfielder to make this list, who like Baxter was also a part of the 1967 Wembley Wizards side, Billy Bremner. However, his time in the national side was short-lived, as he was banned from representing his country after an altercation in a nightclub preceding an away match against Denmark in 1975, leading to him and four other team members being forbidden to return to the national team setup.

In his time at Leeds United, Bremner went on to win two Premier League titles, a League Cup, two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups, and an FA Cup. He also went on to captain Scotland in the 1974 World Cup and received the Footballer of the Year award in the 1969/70 season.

7 Ryan Giggs

Nationality: Welsh

The first Welshman and wide midfielder to make this list, Ryan Giggs is the most decorated British player of all time, making 632 appearances in the Premier League, and 963 for Manchester United. Even in his later years, Giggs’ pace and dribbling skill allowed him to compete at the highest level into his 40s, providing unbelievable quality and longevity down United’s left-hand side, whipping in crosses with impeccable technique.

During his tenure with the Red Devils, Giggs amounted a plethora of silverware, winning a staggering 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, four FA Cups, four League Cups, nine Supercups, an intercontinental cup, a FIFA Club World Cup, and a UEFA Supercup.

Related

10 Worst Stadium Atmospheres in British Football [Ranked]

A Premier League club comes in at number one.

6 Graeme Souness

Nationality: Scottish

Well renowned for his punditry in the modern game, Graeme Souness was a top-class midfielder during the 1980s and was known at the time as a battle-hardened midfielder who enjoyed getting involved in the physical aspect of the game. So much so that Souness’ abilities on the ball were overshadowed at times by his reputation, as the Scotsman also was a wonderfully gifted footballer who could dictate play from midfield. In his pomp, he was a part of one of the greatest Liverpool sides in its history and also appeared at three World Cups for Scotland.

At club level, Souness was incredibly successful, lifting three European Champions Cups, five English First Divisions, five League Cups, three Super Cups, a UEFA Cup, an Italian Cup, and a double in the 1886/87 season for Rangers.

5 Frank Lampard

Nationality: English

Perhaps the greatest goalscoring midfielder that Britain has ever produced, Frank Lampard became an icon of English football for his ability to drift into the box and score goals. However, it was not only his ability to score goals that made him a great midfielder, as he also possessed a phenomenal passing range and attained high levels of defensive discipline, becoming a hero at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea.

In his career for the Blues, Lampard won the three Premier Leagues, a Champions League, a Europa League, four FA Cups, and two League Cups. He is also one of the only midfielders to ever break the 20+ goal mark in a Premier League season, scoring 22 goals in the 2009/10 campaign.

4 Paul Scholes

Nationality: English

Another one of England’s unbelievable generation of midfielders, who was so often compared to Lampard alongside Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes was the most unique of the three, possessing the capability to drop deeper in play and dictate a match later in his career. Playing as a more attack-minded midfielder in his earlier years, due to not being as physically capable of playing a box-to-box role as he aged, utilising his exceptional passing range and intelligence of play in his later years.

In his career, Scholes attained a long list of accolades, including eleven Premier League trophies, four FA Cups, two Champions Leagues, two League Cups, five Super Cups, and an Intercontinental Cup.

Related

10 Best Stadium Atmospheres in British Football [Ranked]

Some grounds in Britain are known for their sizzling atmospheres, here’s a list of the very best.

3 David Beckham

Nationality: English

A player who perhaps does not get the credit for how exceptional a footballer he was due to his off-pitch persona and brand, David Beckham was a special footballer who had a unique ability to deliver pinpoint crosses and strike a football in such a sweet manner. However, there was much more to Beckham than just his delivery, as his passing range, positional understanding, and technical ability were all superb, earning him moves to Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain after his time at Manchester United.

This meant that Beckham would go on to win major titles in three different top-five leagues, winning six Premier Leagues, a La Liga, and a Ligue 1 trophy, as well as two FA Cups, four English Super Cups, two MLS Cups, a Champions League, and an intercontinental cup.

2 Steven Gerrard

Nationality: English

One of the most iconic players in Liverpool and English football history, Steven Gerrard had a little bit of everything when it came to a midfielder. Able to score from range with an unbelievable ability to strike the ball like a thunderbolt, drop deep in play, and dictate a game of football with a remarkable passing range, while possessing the physicality to get around the pitch and defend, and tactical intelligence, Gerrard was the complete package as an all-round midfielder, world-class in every department.

While not winning the trophies that Scholes and Lampard did due to his Liverpool loyalties, he did still go on to win three League Cups, two Super Cups, two FA Cups, a UEFA Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, and a Champions League, where he famously was Man of the Match in Liverpool’s historic comeback against AC Milan in the 2004/05 final, lifting the trophy after heading into halftime 3-0 down.

1 Bobby Charlton

Nationality: English

One of the few English footballers to ever have won the Ballon d’Or, Bobby Charlton is an iconic figure of English football and Manchester United. Able to operate as a midfielder as well as an attacker, Charlton’s technical ability, positional awareness, and predatory instinct to score goals set him apart as perhaps the best English footballers of all time. Lifting the first and only World Cup in England’s history in 1966, Charlton also won the Golden Ball as the Player of the Tournament.

While ranked the greatest player, Charlton did not attain the trophy record of others within the list, winning three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two Super Cups, and a European Champion Clubs’ Cup Winner. Regardless, his quality was and still is unmatched.

Related

11 Greatest Cult Heroes in British Football History [Ranked]

From Duncan Ferguson to Chris Waddle, here are the greatest British cult heroes in history.

Stats via Transfermarkt.