Since making his name as a world-class player at Real Madrid, the key defensive midfield role ‘The Makelele Role’ has been named after French international Claude Makelele, a man so great the position has been named after him.
The Makelele Role: 5 Most Important Defensive Midfielders in Football
Makelele also enjoyed an illustrious career with Nantes, Marseille, Celta Vigo, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, winning five league titles, an FA Cup, a Champions League and a Coupe de France. The central defensive midfielder position, commonly known as CDM, is equally as important amongst current Premier League teams and we have created a list of the top-five 2025 versions.
The Makelele Role: Rodri
It’s almost unheard of for a defensive midfielder to win the Ballon d’Or, which shows just how good Rodri has been in that position over the last three or four years. Manchester City have been lost without him after the Spain international suffered an ACL injury in September’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal. The former Villarreal and Atletico Madrid star, at the age of 28, has already won four Premier League titles, as well as two EFL Cups, a Champions League and a European Championship.
The Makelele Role: Alexis Mac Allister
Having made his name at Brighton, Mac Allister has gone up another level since his move to Liverpool in the summer of 2023. He might wear the number 10, but you will often see the World Cup winner anchoring the Reds midfield, as well as chipping in with crucial goals. The fact that he has established himself as a regular in the Argentina starting XI shows his quality, especially with the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Rodrigo De Paul at their disposal.
The Makelele Role: Declan Rice
Despite Arsenal paying West Ham £100million for his services, Declan Rice has been described by some pundits as a bargain, such is the impact he has had since moving to the Emirates. The England international is another capable of playing anywhere across the midfield, but it’s as a CDM where Rice has made the biggest impact. The former Hammers man is one of the main reasons why Arsenal currently have the best defensive record in the Premier League.
The Makelele Role: Moises Caicedo
Chelsea have had some of the best defensive midfielders in the modern era, including the likes of Makelele, N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic. After an injury-hampered start to life at Stamford Bridge, Caicedo has started to become an integral part of the Blues’ team under Enzo Maresca. The former Brighton man has played in all 24 of the Blues’ league games this season and ranks third in the Premier League tackle stats.
The Makelele Role: Carlos Baleba
Brighton brought in Baleba as the long-term replacement for Caicedo and the 21-year-old has already impressed in his first season in English football. The Cameroon international had made just 21 appearances for Lille before the Seagulls splashed out £25million for his services. Although Albion’s form has been inconsistent, Baleba is proving to be an excellent addition to their squad and looks likely to get better with more games under his belt.
By Adrian Mills
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