Kimmich 4th, De Bruyne 2nd… 5 best passing midfielders in Europe this season

Midfielders are the backbone of a football team. They set the tempo of the game, draw players into the game and unlock defenses by making excellent passes in dangerous areas.

Midfielders rarely enjoy the glory of strikers, but without them the whole system tends to collapse.

Europe’s top five leagues have the privilege of producing some of the most talented midfielders on the planet. A few of these world-class footballers have impressed the crowd with their accurate passing this season and today we’ll take a quick look at their performances.

Now, without further ado, here’s a quick look at the five best passing midfielders for the 2022-23 season:

#5 Toni Kroos – Real Madrid

For nearly a decade, Real Madrid maestro Toni Kroos ruled the roost as one of Europe’s most influential players. The German central midfielder isn’t as adventurous as some of the other names on this list these days. However, when it comes to dictating play, there are few better than Real Madrid’s No.8.

Kroos is adept at short passes and knows how to keep the opponent in a state of disbelief. He also has an innate ability to take play into wide areas with his long balls and is rarely left stranded under pressure. In the 2022-23 La Liga season, Kroos is averaging 74.5 accurate passes (95% accuracy) and 6.3 accurate long balls (86% accuracy) per game. In total, Kroos has made 15 appearances in La Liga this season, scoring two goals and providing two assists.

He made two assists in five games of the Champions League group stage. He averaged 86.5 passes per game (95% accuracy), eight long balls (87% accuracy) and 2.2 assists per game.

#4 Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich right-back, central midfielder Joshua Kimmich has been in good form since the 2022-23 season. The German footballer has appeared in 18 matches in the Bundesliga this season, scoring three goals, providing three assists and creating six big chances. Kimmich averages 2.7 key passes, 70.4 accurate passes (89% accuracy) and 5.4 long balls (74% accuracy) per game in the Bundesliga.

In the Champions League group stage, Kimmich provided three assists and created four big chances in five games. He averaged 68.2 accurate passes (91% accuracy), 4.2 accurate long balls (68% accuracy) and 2.2 key assists in that round.

#3 Luka Modric – Real Madrid

Despite being 30 years old, 37-year-old central midfielder Luka Modric has been one of Real Madrid’s best players this season. The Croatian superstar was flawless in his squad, working harder than most and creating scoring chances frequently.

During the 2022–23 La Liga campaign, Modric made 17 appearances, scoring two goals, creating five big chances and providing two assists. The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder averages 1.3 key passes, 43.8 accurate passes (90% accuracy) and 2.4 accurate long balls (77% accuracy) per game.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finalist was also on fire in the 2022-23 Champions League group stage, scoring two goals in four games. He averaged 56.2 passes per game (90% accuracy), 3.2 long balls (59% accuracy) and 0.8 assists per game.

#2 Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City

Currently the best midfielder in the world, Manchester City ace Kevin De Bruyne is in a league of his own. He can not only dictate the pace of the game with his short passes in the midfield, but also damage the defense with his piercing passes from above. On form, De Bruyne can take on and outplay any midfielder in the world.

Since the start of the 2022-23 Premier League season, the Belgian has appeared in 19 games, scoring 3 goals and providing 11 assists. He created 20 big chances, the most in Europe; and played 20 accurate stray balls. The midfielder averages 44.95 assists per game in the Premier League.

The former Chelsea player has also been impressive in the UEFA Champions League. In the group stage, De Bruyne made four appearances, provided three assists, created two big chances and averaged 2.5 key passes per game.

#1 Martin Odegaard – Arsenal

Arsenal are currently at the top of the 2022-23 Premier League table and their captain Martin Odegaard has established himself as the team’s best player. The former Real Madrid man was reliable in possession, showed impeccable vision and opened up defenses with balls.

The Norwegian midfielder has scored eight goals, five assists and created ten big chances in the English Premier League this season. He averages 34.8 accurate passes (82% accuracy), 2.2 key passes and 1.6 accurate long balls (64% accuracy) per game.

Mikel Arteta rarely placed him in the group stage of the 2022-23 Europa League season. He logged just 37 minutes in six games with just two starts. He created two big chances and averaged 1.3 key passes per game.