By Rune Gjerulff@runegjerulff

Best defensive midfielders in the Bundesliga of 2023 so far

Here are the best defensive midfielders in the Bundesliga of 2023 so far, according to German football magazine Kicker.
Every six months, Kicker publishes a ranking of the best players in the Bundesliga, as well as the best German players abroad, divided into a number of categories.



Today, the German football magazine has released the first part of their summer rankings based on the performances in the second half of the 2022/23 season. Below, you'll find the rankings for defensive midfielders.

World Class:
None.

International Class:
1. Ellyes Skhiri, FC Köln
2. Konrad Laimer, RB Leipzig
3. Emre Can, Borussia Dortmund
4. Robert Andrich, Bayer Leverkusen
5. Joshua Kimmich, Bayern Munich
6. Wataru Endo, VfB Stuttgart

National class:
7. Xaver Schlager, RB Leipzig
8. Exequiel Palacios, Bayer Leverkusen
9. Leandro Barreiro, Mainz
10. Eric Martel, FC Köln
11. Anthony Losilla, VfL Bochum
12. Alex Kral, Schalke 04

Bundesliga news

Other Bundesliga Matchday 6Matarazzo looks ahead to showdown with former club, provides update on Berisha situation
Other Stuttgart & DFBHoeneß on Leweling's national team selection: "We've been working hard with him."
Other Gladbach & DFBKleindienst on German national team call-up: "One of the nicest phone calls I've ever had."
Other Eintracht FrankfurtFrankfurt reward Larsson with new contract
Preview Bundesliga Matchday 6Werder Bremen vs. Freiburg preview: Hosts targeting second straight win
Bundesliga"Ones to watch“ for Bundesliga Matchday 6
Other DFBWanner accepts Germany U21 call-up, Beier and five others return to di Salvo
Preview Bundesliga Matchday 6Union Berlin vs. Borussia Dortmund preview: Free-scoring BVB head on the road
VfB StuttgartKarazor handed first Turkey call-up
Bayer 04 LeverkusenXabi Alonso discusses possible changes for Leverkusen against Kiel
Eintracht FrankfurtTrapp to return to the Eintracht goal against Bayern?
Preview St. Pauli, MainzSt. Pauli vs Mainz preview: Hosts look to secure first home win
Borussia DortmundSahin confirms lengthy injury spells for trio

Table

Match days

Other Bundesliga Matchday 6Matarazzo looks ahead to showdown with former club, provides update on Berisha situation
Eintracht FrankfurtTrapp to return to the Eintracht goal against Bayern?
Preview St. Pauli, MainzSt. Pauli vs Mainz preview: Hosts look to secure first home win
Borussia DortmundSahin confirms lengthy injury spells for trio
Preview Bochum, WolfsburgVfL Bochum vs VfL Wolfsburg preview: Winless runs must end
FC BayernBayern confirm hip injury for Musiala
Preview Bayer Leverkusen, Holstein KielBayer Leverkusen vs Holstein Kiel preview: Champions to get back to winning ways?
Other Bundesliga Matchday 6Thorup lists Kabadayi and Maurice as potential Vargas replacements
Other Bremen, Freiburg, & ÖFBFriedl speaks on return against Freiburg and surprise Austrian call-up
Other VfL WolfsburgArnold responds to critics on social media: "Some situations are perceived differently on the pitch."
Post-match reaction Hoffenheim & BremenMatarazzo and Werner react to Sunday's "Miracle in Sinsheim"
Post-match reaction Stuttgart & WolfsburgKarazor calls for halt to attacks on Arnold after contrversial call, Hoeneß remains mad
Post-match reaction Werder BremenStage after receiving MOTM ball: "It's going in the basement."
Post-match reaction Frankfurt & KielRapp and Toppmöller rave over Marmoush's blazing form
Match report Bundesliga Matchday 5Shorthanded Hoffenheim suffer complete meltdown, blow 3-0 lead against Bremen
Match report Bundesliga Matchday 5Marmoush carries Frankfurt past Kiel with two goals and two assists
Post-match reaction Freiburg & St. PauliBornemann hails Freiburg's success model: "The best example of Bundesliga development."
Post-match reaction 1. FC HeidenheimDorsch apologizes for tackle on Mainz's Sano, appeals for leniency from DFB
Post-match reaction FC BayernKane speaks on injury after limping off against Leverkusen
Post-match reaction SC FreiburgSchuster reacts to Freiburg's shock loss to St. Pauli
Post-match reaction FC BayernVincent Kompany: "It's a shame we didn't win"
Post-match reaction Bayer LeverkusenXabi Alonso "happy" to take one point from Bayern clash
Post-match reaction Bayer LeverkusenXhaka praises Leverkusen's defensive solidity after draw with Bayern
Post-match reaction FC BayernBayern bosses give injury update on Kane
Post-match reaction FC BAyernManuel Neuer: "We deserved more and were clearly the better team"

German Teams in Europe

TSG HoffenheimReports: Berisha dropped from Hoffenheim's squad to face Dynamo Kyiv due to spat with Matarazzo
Post-match reaction FC BayernDuran names Bayern his dream club after Villa winner
Post-match reaction UEFA Champions League"In the end we got punished" - Harry Kane reacts to Aston Villa defeat
Post-match reaction RB LeipzigRose on Leipzig's defeat to Juventus: "It's a tough lesson"
Post-match reaction FC BayernKompany: "We had our chances, but didn't score"
Post-match reaction FC BayernNeuer reacts to Aston Villa's goal: "That's our game"
Post-match reaction FC BayernKimmich rues mistakes and missed chances, defends Neuer after defeat to Aston Villa
Match report UEFA Champions LeagueŠeško brace not enough as 10-man Juventus defeat Leipzig
Match report FC BayernAston Villa hand Bayern first defeat under Kompany
Preview UEFA Champions LeagueConfirmed lineups: RB Leipzig vs. Juventus
Post-match reaction VfB StuttgartHoeness discusses Führich's dip in form
Preview FC HeidenheimHeidenheim vs. Olimpija Ljubljana preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Preview Eintracht FrankfurtBesiktas vs. Eintracht Frankfurt preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Preview TSG HoffenheimHoffenheim vs. Dynamo Kyiv preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Post-match reaction Bayer 04 LeverkusenTah pleased to see Leverkusen back to dominant selves
Borussia DortmundHat-trick hero Adeyemi gives injury update
Match report Champions LeagueLeverkusen keep up perfect start to Champions League campaign with second win
Match report UEFA Champions LeagueDortmund drive seven past Celtic in ruthless demolition
FC Bayern Kompany gives update on Kane: "We need to wait and see"
Preview UEFA Champions LeagueConfirmed lineups: Borussia Dortmund vs. Celtic FC
Other Champions LeagueConfirmed Lineups: Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. AC Milan
Other Champions LeagueConfirmed Lineups: VfB Stuttgart vs. Sparta Prague
Bayern MunichKane returns to training for Bayern ahead of Aston Villa clash
Preview RB LeipzigRB Leipzig vs. Juventus preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Preview FC BayernAston Villa vs. Bayern Munich preview: Team news and predicted lineups

DFB-Pokal

Other DFB PokalDFB-Pokal second round fixtures released
Post-match reaction Bayer 04 LeverkusenAndrich criticizes Leverkusen performance in the DFB-Pokal: "That's not us"
Post-match reaction VfB StuttgartHoeness after 5-0 win: "We're only at the beginning"
Preview DFB-PokalCarl Zeiss Jena vs. Bayer Leverkusen preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Preview DFB-PokalPreussen Münster vs. Stuttgart preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Match report DfB PokalFrankfurt show their class to break down stubborn Braunschweig
Match report DfB Pokal18:00 Pokal Kickoffs: A tip-Topp evening for Bremen, Wolfsburg scrape by Koblenz, Kickers Offenbach stun Magdeburg
Other SC FreiburgFreiburg praise resurgent Adamu: "He can become an important player for us."
Match report DfB Pokal18:00 Pokal Kickoffs: Hamburg and Karlsruhe simply unstoppable, Dresden eliminate Fortuna Düsseldorf
Other VfL WolfsburgHasenhüttl names Lacroix captain for cup tie: "I know that he will stay."
Match report DfB Pokal1.FC Köln survive first-round scare in Sandhausen
Match report DfB Pokal15:30 Pokal Kickoffs: Big shock as Bochum bow out; Hertha Berlin, Paderborn, Darmstadt, and Elversberg advance
Match report DfB PokalNürnberg squeeze past Saarbrücken after penalty shoot-out drama
Match report DfB PokalAugsburg comfortably see off Viktoria Berlin in Pokal opener
Match report DfB Pokal18:00 Pokal Kickoffs: Rosenboom the hero as Holstein Kiel survive Aachen upset, Bielefeld brush Hannover aside
Match report DFB PokalGroß records two assists as Dortmund get Sahin Era off to winning start
Match report DfB Pokal15:30 Pokal Kickoffs: Leipzig, Freiburg, Heidenheim, and Union Berlin all advance; Kaiserslautern and Schalke secure second-round berths
Match report DfB Pokal13:00 Pokal Kickoffs: Gladbach complete comeback, Fürth swipe Schott Mainz aside
Match report DFB Pokal18:00 Pokal Kickoffs: St. Pauli and Mainz avoid upsets in extra time, Hoffenheim advance on penalties
Bayer LeverkusenAlonso not committing to starting goalkeeper: "We'll see from game to game"
FC BayernReport: Goretzka left out of Bayern squad for DFB-Pokal game
Other VfB StuttgartHoeneß confirms ongoing search for "quality" defender, leaves Undav-Demirovic question open ahead of Supercup
DFB-PokalDFB-Pokal first round draw
Post-match reaction FC KaiserslauternFunkel praises Lautern support, hints that he might again return to coaching
Post-match reaction DFB PokalXabi explains rein-in of Wirtz: "We had to calm things down."

German National Team

Other Stuttgart & DFBHoeneß on Leweling's national team selection: "We've been working hard with him."
Other Gladbach & DFBKleindienst on German national team call-up: "One of the nicest phone calls I've ever had."
Other DFBWanner accepts Germany U21 call-up, Beier and five others return to di Salvo
DFBGermany call up replacement for injured Musiala
German national teamNagelsmann explains Gnabry and Blaswich decisions
DFBGermany reveal squad for October fixtures
DFB & GladbachKleindienst reportedly set for first Germany call-up
Match report Champions LeagueStuttgart-Sparta ends in 1-1 stalemate
FC BayernBayern bosses comment on possible Germany return for Neuer
Post-match reaction Hoffenheim & DFBBaumann comments on ter Stegen injury and ongoing disputes with TSG fans
Other Bremen & DFBNiemeyer endorses Zetterer for German national team
Rumor DFBWill Wanner play for Germany or Austria? Here's what his international future depends on
DFBWho will replace the long-term injured ter Stegen for Germany?
DFB UEFA reportedly admits Germany should have been awarded a penalty against Spain
Other DFBConfirmed: Surgery to sideline ter Stegen for eight months or more
DFBTer Stegen expected to be out for months with horror injury
Post-match reaction Hoffenheim & DFBMatarazzo remains under fire while Völler quashes Wagner rumors
DFBNagelsmann reveals World Cup "master plan"
Other Stuttgart & DFBWoltemade on missing Stuttgart's European tour: "My time in the Champions League will come."
Post-match reaction Dortmund & DFBAdeyemi on hopes of returning to German national team: "Inshallah."
Other Bayern, DFB, & ÖFBWanner denies he's made a decision to represent Germany over Austria
Post-match reaction DFBKoeman launches surprise attack on Tah: "He made a lot of mistakes"
Post-match reaction DFBUndav "over the moon" after scoring his first goal for Germany
Post-match reaction DFBNagelsmann on "very entertaining" Netherlands draw: "Both defences were vulnerable"
Post-match reaction DFBMusiala reacts to Netherlands draw: "Many decisions didn't go our way"

Long reads

Editor's pick FC BAYERNThe secrets behind Vincent Kompany's brilliant start as Bayern Munich's head coach
Analysis/Commentary Werder BremenThe world’s worst restart: Naby Keïta’s disastrous one-year spell at Werder Bremen
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 3
Analysis/Commentary VfL Bochum‘The Unrelegatables’: How Peter Zeidler’s tactics can secure VfL Bochum’s Bundesliga status
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against the Netherlands
Analysis/Commentary SC FreiburgSC Freiburg analysis – Perfect response and jubilant mood on opening day
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga Matchday 1"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 1 (New transfers edition)
Analysis/Commentary FantasyFantasy Bundesliga: A guide to the new rules for the 2024/25 season
Analysis/Commentary Bayer 04 LeverkusenHow Bayer Leverkusen could line up for the 2024/25 season
Analysis/Commentary FC BayernHow Bayern could line up for the 2024/25 season
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against Denmark
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against Switzerland
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against Hungary
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against Scotland
Analysis/Commentary BundesligaShould the Bundesliga relegation/promotion tie be scrapped?
Analysis/Commentary BundesligaBundesliga Team of the Season
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga "Tactics Talk"Bundesliga Tactics Talk: Round 34
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga Matchday 34"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 34
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga "Tactics Talk"Bundesliga Tactics Talk: Round 33
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 33
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga "Tactics Talk"Bundesliga Tactics Talk: Round 32
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 32
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga "Tactics Talk"Bundesliga Tactics Talk: Round 31
Analysis/Commentary BayernBayern Munich player ratings against Real Madrid
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 31

Exclusive interviews

Interview SC Freiburg vs VfB StuttgartFreiburg vs Stuttgart - Reactions from the fan scene
Interview BundesligaEXCLUSIVE: Michael Owen talks Kane, Musiala, Sancho and looks back on famous hat-trick against Germany
Editor's pick Bundesliga & DFBEXCLUSIVE: Dietmar Hamann on the Bundesliga title fight, Der Klassiker and Nagelsmann's start as Germany coach
Editor's pick MainzEXCLUSIVE: Danny da Costa rules out future coaching job
Interview Bayer LeverkusenEXCLUSIVE: Edmond Tapsoba on England links, his role models and Leverkusen's struggles this season
Interview Bundesliga InterviewEXCLUSIVE: From infancy to Eisernen - An Interview with Union Berlin’s rising star Laurenz Dehl
Editor's pick LeverkusenSimon Rolfes interview – part two: Leverkusen boss points out "problem" with German youth development
Editor's pick LeverkusenFernando Carro interview: Bayer Leverkusen CEO says Bundesliga rights are “sold under value”, questions 50+1 rule
Editor's pick Bayer 04 LeverkusenSimon Rolfes interview: Leverkusen boss on global scouting, Frimpong’s “fantastic” rise and more
Editor's pick WolfsburgEXCLUSIVE: Jonas Wind on Wolfsburg's poor start, Niko Kovac, his dream club and more
Editor's pick EXCLUSIVE: Wolfsburg's Jonas Wind gives injury update, shares thoughts on ...
Editor's pick DortmundEXCLUSIVE: Ex-BVB star and agent Niclas Jensen on life on and off the pitch and why Bielefeld's Bello is one to watch
Editor's pick GladbachEXCLUSIVE: Gladbach's Joe Scally on first United States call-up and World Cup chances
Editor's pick GladbachEXCLUSIVE: Gladbach and USMNT defender Joe Scally on his rise to stardom and season so far

Team News

Bundesliga - Bochum - WolfsburgBundesliga - Bremen - FreiburgBundesliga - Leverkusen - Holstein KielBundesliga - Union Berlin - DortmundBundesliga - St. Pauli - Mainz 05