- Gilberto Silva
Gilberto Aparecido da Silva, commonly known as Gilberto Silva, is a Brazilian football (soccer) player. He has played most of his club football for the English club Arsenal, as a defensive midfielder. Gilberto was raised in a poor family and as a child he balanced playing football with various labour jobs. He began his football career in 1997 with América Mineiro, where good form earned him a move to Atlético Mineiro in 2000.
- Shalrie Joseph
Shalrie Joseph (born May 24, 1978 in St. George's, Grenada) is a Grenadian soccer player, who currently plays defensive midfielder for the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer. Joseph was born in Grenada and moved to Brooklyn, New York with his family as a teenager. He was drafted fourteenth overall in the 2002 MLS Superdraft by the Revolution out of St. John's University, but did not join the team until the 2003 season, …
- Ricardo Clark
Ricardo Clark (born February 10, 1983 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American soccer player, who currently plays defensive midfielder for the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer. Clark played high school soccer at St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta, Georgia, and college soccer at Furman University in 2001 and 2002, and was named a first-team All-American in his second season. After his sophomore year, he signed a Project-40 contract with MLS, …
- Mahamadou Diarra
Mahamadou Diarra was born in Bamako, Mali on 18 May 1981. The six foot, 168-pound midfielder began his football career in the CSK Bamako youth system and hit the big time in 1998 when called to play for the First Team. European football opened its doors to Diarra soon thereafter, and OFI Crete was the first European team to give him an audition at the start of 1998/99 season. He didn't disappoint and went on to sign his first professional contract.
- David Albelda
David Albelda Aliqués is a Spanish football player. Albelda is currently captain of Valencia CF. He has also played for Spain and won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He also played in 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. Albelda has also been part of the Spanish squad in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and 2006 FIFA World Cup. Albelda is a defensive midfielder who started his career as a centre-back. He is best known for his leadership skills.
- Mehmet Topal
Mehmet Topal is a Turkish football player currently playing for Galatasaray. His position is defensive midfielder and he wears the number 14 jersey. He signed in September of 2006 from Çanakkale Dardanelspor.
- Brian Carroll
Brian Michael Carroll (born July 20, 1981 in Springfield, Virginia) is an American soccer player, who currently plays defensive midfielder for D.C. United of Major League Soccer. Carroll was selected 11th overall in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United. Unfortunately for him, coach Ray Hudson preferred a lineup dominated by veterans, and although he saw time in U.S. Open Cup competition, Carroll did not appear in any regular season games.
- Alexandre Song
Alexandre Song Billong (born September 9, 1987) is a Cameroonian footballer who currently plays for Arsenal. He can play in either defence or as a defensive midfielder.
- Dietmar Hamann
Dietmar Hamann (born August 27, 1973 in Waldsassen, Bavaria) is an ex-German international midfielder who currently plays for Manchester City.
- Andranik Teymourian
Andranik Teymourian (also spelt Andranik Teimourian,, , born March 6, 1983 in Tehran, Iran) is an Armenian-Iranian football player currently playing for Bolton Wanderers in the FA Premier League and the Iran national football team. He usually plays as a defensive midfielder, but can also play as a winger. He is noted for being the only Christian footballer in the Iranian national team, in which he has excellent relations with all of his team-mates.
- Clyde Simms
Clyde Simms (born August 21, 1982 in Jamestown, North Carolina) is an American soccer player, who currently plays defensive midfielder for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.
- Jesse Marsch
Jesse Marsch (born November 8, 1973 in Racine, Wisconsin) is an American soccer defensive midfielder, the first player to win three MLS Cup championships. He currently plays for C.D. Chivas USA in Major League Soccer. Marsch played college soccer at Princeton University, where he was an All-American in 1995, after scoring 16 goals as a midfielder/forward. He was drafted by D.C. United (their assistant coach was his coach at Princeton, …
- Massimo Ambrosini
Massimo Ambrosini (born May 29, 1977 in Pesaro) is an Italian footballer who plays for A.C. Milan as a defensive midfielder. He is also the vice-captain and is known as a hardworking player, who took time to break into the AC Milan ranks.
- Stephen Appiah
Stephen Appiah is a Ghanaian International football midfielder and the captain of the Ghana national team. In his native Ghana he is well known as " the black tornado" due to the fact that he is very dominant in the midfield and is also very strong. As of 2007, he plays professionally for the Turkish club Fenerbahçe. A combative player, Stephen Appiah has a strong 'engine' and good tactical awareness.
- Kerry Zavagnin
Kerry Zavagnin (born July 2, 1974 in Plymouth, Michigan) is an American soccer midfielder, who currently plays defensive midfielder for the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer, and sparingly for the US national team. Zavagnin played his college soccer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1992 to 1995, where he registered 22 goals and 24 assists in 76 games. Upon graduating, Zavagnin joined the Raleigh Flyers of the USISL, …
- Richard Mulrooney
Richard Mulrooney (born November 3, 1976 in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American soccer player, who currently plays defensive midfielder for the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer. Mulrooney played four years of college soccer at Creighton University, where he recorded 51 assists from 1995 to 1998. While there, he helped lead the team to the NCAA Final Four in 1996, and was named an NCAA All-American as a senior.
- Dunga
Dunga (born Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri on October 31, 1963 in Ijuí, Rio Grande do Sul) is a Brazilian former football defensive midfielder, of Italian and German descent, and a World Champion for Brazil in the 1994 World Cup. He is now national coach of the Brazilian national team.
- Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélélé (born February 18, 1973 in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) is a French international football player, who currently plays defensive midfield for Chelsea in the English Premiership. He is married to the French supermodel Noémie Lenoir with whom he has three sons named Kelyan, Hayden and Sam. Prior to joining Chelsea, Makélélé played for Nantes (1992-1997), Olympique de Marseille (1997-1998), Celta Vigo (1998-2000), …
- Thomas Rongen
Thomas Rongen (born October 31, 1956 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch soccer coach, currently the Sporting Director of Major League Soccer club C.D. Chivas USA and the coach of the U.S. U-20 team. Rongen began his playing career with Ajax Amsterdam, with whom he played defensive midfielder and defender from 1975 to 1979 (Though he never played for the first team). Rongen moved to America in 1979, joining the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League.
- Gerardo Torrado
Gerardo Torrado Diez de Bonilla is an international Mexican football player, currently playing as a defensive midfielder for Cruz Azul in the Primera División de México.
- Danny O'Rourke
Danny O'Rourke (born May 31, 1983 in Columbus, Ohio) is an American defensive midfielder, who currently plays soccer for the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. O'Rourke played high school soccer at Worthington Kilbourne High School. He was captain during the 2000 season, during which they won the state championship. Named Ohio Capital Conference player of the year, All-Ohio Capital Conference First Team, All-District, And All-State.
- Richie Williams
Richie Williams (born June 3, 1970 in New York City) was an American soccer defensive midfielder and was the interim head coach of Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer following the dismissal of Mo Johnston. He is known for his diminutive height (5'5") and his dogged tackling. He made his name with D.C. United of Major League Soccer and was a fringe member of the United States men's national team. Williams' career has been closely tied to Bruce Arena, …
- Cory Gibbs
Cory Gibbs (born January 14, 1980 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida) is an African American football player, who currently plays central defender for Charlton Athletic in the FA Premier League. He is of Jamaican descent via his parents. Gibbs played college soccer at Brown University, joining the team in 1997. During his career Brown won three Ivy League Championships and participated in the NCAA Tournament all four years.
- Pavel Pardo
Pável Pardo Segura, is a Mexican international football player, who currently plays for VfB Stuttgart as a Defensive Midfielder in the German Bundesliga and for the Mexican national team.
- Martin Demichelis
Martín Gastón Demichelis (Born December 20, 1980 in "Justiniano Posse", Córdoba) is an Argentine football player who usually plays as a defensive midfielder for FC Bayern Munich, but because of his aerial ability, he is often used as a backup defender as well. "Micho" started playing professionally in 1998 at Buenos Aires based club River Plate, but he didn't manage to find himself a spot in the starting line-up until 2001.
- Hossam Ghaly
Hossam Ghaly (born December 15, 1981 in Kafr El-Sheikh) is an Egyptian football midfielder who currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur. Ghaly plays mainly as a defensive midfielder or a central midfielder, less frequently as a right full-back and due to injuries even an outside midfielder. Ghaly is a product of Al-Ahly youth team, and he broke into the first team squad in 2001. He played regularly for Al-Ahly until he moved to Feyenoord Rotterdam in 2003.
- Salif Diao
Salif Alassane Diao (born February 10 1977 in Kedougou, Senegal) is a Senegalese football player, playing as a defensive midfielder. He currently plays for Stoke City, and is a Senegal international.
- Javad Nekounam
Javad Nekounam (born September 7, 1980 in Ray, Iran) is an Iranian football player who currently plays for CA Osasuna in La Liga and the Iran national football team. He usually plays in the defensive midfielder position. He is best known for his passing ability, ball distribution, and powerful long range shots, often from outside the 18 yard box.
- Logan Pause
Logan Pause (born August 22, 1981 in Raleigh, North Carolina) is an American soccer defensive midfielder, who currently plays for the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer. Pause played college soccer at the University of North Carolina from 2000 to 2002. After a 2002 season in which he co-captained the Tar Heels, and played everywhere from central defense to attacking midfield due to injuries, Pause signed a Project-40 contract with MLS.
- Cristiano Zanetti
Cristiano Zanetti (born April 14, 1977 in Carrara) is an Italian football defensive midfielder, who currently plays for Juventus of Serie A. Zanetti recently moved to Juve on a free transfer, despite the recent controversy surrounding the Turin giants. This ended Zanetti's second spell with Inter, having previously played for them in 1998. He also played for Fiorentina (1993-96), Venezia (1996-97), Reggina (1997-98), Cagliari (1998-99), and AS Roma (1999-2001).
- Angelos Basinas
Angelos Basinas (born 3 January 1976) is a footballer. He is a defensive midfielder who plays for the Greek national football team and RCD Mallorca whom he joined in January 2006. He currently has 78 caps and 5 goals for his national team.The influential Basinas has nearly always put his stamp on Panathinakos, Mallorca & Greece games, whether with his sublime passing, combative style, hard running or deadly long shot.
- Fernando Redondo
Fernando Carlos Redondo Neri is a former Argentine professional football player. He was a defensive midfielder of outstanding skill and culture. He was a member of the Argentina national football team and played for the clubs Argentinos Juniors (1985-90), CD Tenerife (1990-94), Real Madrid (1994-2000), and AC Milan (2000-2003).
- Peter Vagenas
Peter Vagenas (born Panayiotis Alexiou Vagenas on February 6, 1978 in Pasadena, California), is an American soccer defensive midfielder, who currently plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. Vagenas played college soccer at UCLA from 1996 to 1999, leading them to the NCAA title in 1997, and finishing his career there with 15 goals and 30 assists in 82 games. He was drafted by the Galaxy in the second round of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft.
- Tiago Mendes
Tiago Cardoso Mendes (born May 2, 1981 in Viana do Castelo, Norte) is a Portuguese professional football player. Tiago plays as a defensive midfielder in the Italian Serie A for Juventus and the Portugal national football team. A skilful Portuguese midfield player who is effective in protecting the defence and supporting strikers, Tiago is also a splendid passer with a keen eye for goal.
- Patrick Ianni
Patrick Ianni (born April 15, 1985 in Lodi, California) is an American soccer defender / defensive midfielder, who currently plays for the Houston Dynamo of the Major League Soccer. After completing his junior season at UCLA and playing in the USL Premier Development League with the Southern California Seahorses, Ianni entered the 2006 MLS SuperDraft he was chosen by Houston as the 8th overall pick. Patrick's performance with the Bruins led to his Hermann Award nomination.
- Rafael Márquez
Rafael Márquez Álvarez, better known as Rafa Márquez is an international Mexican football player, specializing as both a centre back and defensive midfielder, who is currently playing for FC Barcelona in the Spanish La Liga and for the Mexican national team as their team captain.
- Kim Nam-Il
Kim Nam-Il is a Korean football player. Kim is a defensive midfielder for Suwon Samsung Bluewings. He was virtually unknown before he became a superstar for his impressive defensive displays in the 2002 Football World Cup.
- Benson Mhlongo
Benson Mhlongo (born November 9 1980 in Alexandra, Gauteng) is a South African football (soccer) defensive midfielder and defender for Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League and South Africa.
- Andreas Ottl
Andreas Ottl (born March 1, 1985 in Munich, Bavaria, Germany) is a German footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Bayern Munich. He signed his 1st professional contract on July 1, 2005. He also plays for Germany's U21 Team.
- Simon Elliott
Simon Elliott (born June 10, 1974 in Wellington, New Zealand) is a football (soccer) player from New Zealand, who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Fulham of the English Premier League. He is also a regular on the New Zealand national team. Elliott played college soccer at Stanford University, where he scored 13 goals and 12 assists in four years between 1995 and 1998. Undrafted by Major League Soccer, he signed with Boston Bulldogs.