10 Best Midfielders in La Liga Right Now | Ranked

The Spanish top-division football league, La Liga, has always produced some of the best midfielders in history. From Andres Iniesta to Xabi Alonso, from Xavi Hernandez to David Silva, all these players have lit up the nation’s top flight. The current list of the greatest midfielders in the Spanish top flight has some of the generational talents like Jude Bellingham, Gavi, Pedri, and several more, who have single-handedly carried their clubs’ batons in major tournaments.

We have decided to recapitulate and look at the top 10 best midfielders in La Liga right now, who have proven their mettle week in and week out on the pitch. There are many talented playmakers currently operating in La Liga for some of the major clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao. To pick the top 10 best midfielders in LaLiga 2025, we have focused on some criteria like the overall impact on the game, the number of games they played, and consistency.

List of Best Midfielders in La Liga 2025

The year 2025 was an exciting year for all the midfielders in LaLiga. There was intense action for midfield dominance, and some of the big stars rose to the occasion to take control. With Spanish football focusing more on possession and “tiki-taka” style of play, the midfield becomes the epicenter of the game. It serves as a crucial juncture between the attack and defense.

Note: xG and Assists were taken into consideration for the recently concluded La Liga season from Fotmob, while stats for progressive passes were taken from Fbref.

How We Ranked the Best Midfielder in La Liga this Season?

Number of Games Played: The primary factor considered while ranking the best midfielders in La Liga right now is the number of matches any player has played in the Spanish first division. The more the number of games under the player’s belt, the easier it is to break down his game on an average basis.

Consistency: The second parameter considered while ranking the best midfielders in LaLiga 2025 is to look at their consistent performance, which is important. A player might be absolutely sublime in one match but then fizzle out for the next few games. In that scenario, his ranking is certainly going to dip.

Impact on Big Matches: The last ranking factor we considered while compiling this list of the top 10 best midfielders in La Liga 2025 is the overall impact a player has on the game. If a player makes contributions and brings about a change in the game for the better for his team, he is surely going to be rewarded for his accomplishments, thus placed higher in the rankings.

Performance Stats: While ranking the list of the best midfielders in La Liga right now, we considered several key performance factors like xG, assists, progressive passes, progressive carries, and more. Thanks to these parameters, our job to rank players and determine who is the best midfielder in LaLiga 2025 was made easier.

Top 10 Best Midfielders in La Liga 2025

The year 2025 saw some brilliant play in the midfield of the LaLiga. The Spanish elite league is well known for its depth in the midfield region. Midfielders are like the oil in the machine, who keep the game flowing and in the Spanish league, they are even more indispensable because of the “tiki taka” style of play.

10. Pablo Barrios ( Atletico Madrid)

The first name on this list is none other than Pablo Barrios, a Madrid-born player who is proving to be instrumental for Atletico Madrid. Surprisingly enough, Barrios was formerly a youth product of Real Madrid before joining their city rivals, Atletico, in 2017 and has not looked back since then. The 22-year-old has now become a regular in Diego Simeone’s line-up and has made 44 appearances in the 2024/25 season. In those 44 appearances, he has scored one goal and made four assists in La Liga.

He has been a workhorse in the central midfielder role and as such, the team has relied on him heavily to stifle attacks as well as create goal-scoring chances. His work rate and ethic have been noticed by the Atletico management and as such, they have renewed his contract till 2030. He has been one of the top 10 best midfielders in La Liga 2025.

9. Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)

The success of Argentina in international football in recent years has seen them lift the FIFA World Cup 2022 and two consecutive Copa America titles. Rodrigo De Paul has been a pillar of confidence and strength, additionally, he is one of the best midfielders in La Liga right now. Widely popular for his defensive awareness and leadership quality, the Argentine playmaker operates in the heart of the Atletico Madrid midfield like an ever-aware machine. For the last few years, he has taken himself to the league of the best midfielder in La Liga this season.

The Argentine midfielder has helped his team by being a solid midfielder at the center of the play, whether it’s retaining possession or making retrievals. Rodrigo De Paul has done a tremendous job for his team. De Paul has scored 3 goals and provided 9 assists during the recently concluded season. He has been a consistent player for Diego Simeone. Numbers show that he is a team player and will do everything possible to make his team win.

8. Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad/Arsenal)

The former Real Sociedad midfielder, Martin Zubimendi, is our eighth pick on the list of the best Spanish midfielders currently in La Liga. The 26-year-old playmaker has even drawn comparisons to Sergio Busquets because of his versatility on the pitch. His maturity on the pitch and calm and composed demeanor have proved to be an asset on the pitch. Zubimendi has established himself as one of the best midfielders in La Liga right now, playing deep in the field as an influential playmaker for Real Sociedad during the 2024/25 season.

Martin Zubimendi played a very pivotal role in Real Sociedad’s team. Due to his performance, the Spanish side has finished the season in 11th position this year. With average touches of 66.7 per game, Zubimendi has outclassed some of the big names in the league. He has provided one assist and found the back of the net twice. Due to his impressive performances in both Real Sociedad and the National side, he is attracting interest from several clubs.

7. Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid)

A product of the Chelsea youth academy, Conor Gallagher has found a home in Madrid under the tutelage of Diego Simeone. The 25-year-old from Epsom, Surrey, Gallagher is a box-to-box player who is flexible in both attack and defense. The Englishman doesn’t shy away from making tough challenges as and when required and can also dictate the game in attacking play.

Legendary footballer Patrick Viera has also showered high praise on the midfielder. Viera has likened his playing style to that of former footballers Ray Parlour and Frank Lampard, one of his football idols. Gallagher, who has signed a five-year contract with the club, is expected to stay till 2029, which is truly reassuring for the club fans.

6. Fermin Lopez (Barcelona)

One of the best midfielders coming out of the famous Barcelona academy, La Masia, Fermin Lopez is the prized jewel of the Catalan outfit. The Spanish playmaker’s ability to operate as a creative playmaker who loves to play up top, combining with forwards to create goal-scoring chances, makes him the most sought-after player in Spain and the world at the moment. The attacking midfielder role makes him the curator of Barcelona’s attack in some of the games. Some pundits say that he can play and create better chances than Dani Olmo, making him one of the best midfielders in La Liga right now.

Fermin Lopez has been used as a rotational player this season by Hansi Flick to manage the workload of other players. The Catalan player has started in only 12 games in the 2024/25 season in La Liga, scored 6 goals and provided 5 assists for the team. Not only in attack, Lopez likes to come back to his half and recover the ball from opponents (4.77 balls recovered per game) as an attacking midfielder, which makes him one of the few players who do so.

5. Alex Baena (Villarreal/Atletico Madrid)

One of the few players on the list who has been a menace to the opposing defenders, like Alex Baena in the Spanish top division. Touted as the new “Assist King” of football, Baena has a habit of making defense-splitting passes that somehow always find their way to his striking partners. One of the best midfielder in LaLiga this season.

His dribbling skill and ball control also make him deadly in front of the goal. As such, he is also adept at finishing and has ended the season with 7 goals to his name. Working his way through the youth ranks, he joined the senior team in 2020. So far, the Roquetas de Mar-born has made 126 appearances for the club. However, it was the last year for Baena at the Estadio De La Ceramica as he has now joined the LaLiga rival club Atletico Madrid.

4. Oihan Sancet (Athletic Bilbao)

The former Osasuna young prospect, Oihan Sancet, is just at the peak of his career; his current goal-scoring form that sees him feature in the La Liga leaderboard speaks volumes. Not only has he been one of the best midfielders in La Liga right now, but he has also been the face of Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish top flight this season. Rising through the ranks of Bilbao Athletic, Sancet found the breakthrough, thanks to his multitude of positions on the front line.

Oihan Sancet has scored 15 goals during the 2024/25 season, which is a very good number when it comes to a midfielder. Sancet finished the 2024/25 season in 8th position, just behind Raphinha and Julian Alvarez. Sancet is an attacking midfielder who loves to play on the right. The Athletic Club player has outperformed his xG of 9.73, making him the most important piece of the team.

3. Dani Olmo (Barcelona)

Dani Olmo joined Barcelona after spending four years playing in the Bundesliga from 2020-2024. Olmo’s presence has added that much-needed variety and depth to the Catalan side as he is versatile. Whether you put him in the midfield or up front in attack, he does his job to perfection. Hansi Flick has also used him in this false-line role time and again.

The fact that Olmo’s talents have shone through in a talent-laden Barca midfield speaks volumes about his caliber as a player. With 12 goals and 6 assists in the 2024/25 season, the 27-year-old has made quite a claim in the midfield position.

2. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Despite a trophy-less season for the Los Blancos, the heart of Real Madrid’s midfield, Jude Bellingham, is our pick for the No.2 spot for best midfielders in La Liga right now. During his transfer from Borussia Dortmund to the Spanish champions, many people questioned his ability to fulfill the expectations placed upon him at Santiago Bernabeu. The English playmaker sent his critics packing after lifting the Player of the Season award in the 2023-24 La Liga season, having recorded 17 goals.

His ability to play football at his best for 90 minutes makes him different from other midfielders, where other midfielders get drained of energy, Jude Bellingham performs with the same energy that he had in the starting minutes of the game. Jude Bellingham has scored 15 important goals for Real Madrid during the recently concluded season, out of which were scored from outside the box. He has also provided 14 assists in 57 appearances in the 2024/25 season.

1. Pedri (Barcelona)

The centre force of the current Barcelona midfield, Pedri, has already demonstrated his skills and strength on the turf in every major tournament the Spanish giants have participated in. He has been the best midfielder in LaLiga this season, hands down. His composure, dribbling skills and eye for finding forwards on the move have already earned him status like Xavi and Iniesta. The Spanish sensation was awarded the 2021 Golden Boy trophy for his outstanding contribution to club and International football.

At this current time, he is one of the best midfielders in the world, beating all others in this role. Pedri single-handedly controls the whole game. If we see the touches per game, we will be shocked, which is around 99.3. Unfortunately, Pedri has less numbers of assists (5) than his xA, which is 9. Pedri has also scored 6 goals this season for his team, FC Barcelona, making him the best midfielder in LaLiga 2025.