Ranking the 9 Best Number 8s in World Football Right Now (2024)

The number eight shirt is one that holds value in the elite status of football. It signifies that a player is traditionally a club’s main star in the middle of the park, breaking up chances, driving forward and providing a threat in the final third. Some of the best players of all time have worn it.

Currently, there are some of the best players on the planet right now who turn out for their club side draped in the number eight. They are key cogs in their teams’ systems, always providing an energetic spark in the middle of the park. Some of them are even considering Ballon d’Or contenders.

We have already ranked the best number nines in the world, but – as suggested – now it’s time for the number eights. Dreaming of greatness, they have to perform if they want to win the biggest matches, as teams rely on their consistency to dictate matches effortlessly.

Ranking Factors

• Goal contributions – They must be able to provide a threat in the final third.
• All-round play – The best eights have a more well-rounded role in the modern game.
• Honours – Individual and collective accolades will be taken into consideration.

9 Leon Goretzka

Bayern Munich

Leon Goretzka might not be as highly rated as he used to be a handful of years ago, but the aggressive and powerful German still features on this list. He featured in 30 matches for Bayern Munich in the 2023/24 Bundesliga, scoring six and picking up seven assists.

As a workhorse, he can drive forward or track back effortlessly, but the 29-year-old was put up for sale during the summer transfer window. No move could be found, though, so the German has now been re-integrated into the first team. Whether he can find his form again is unclear.

8 Mateo Kovacic

Manchester City

Arguably an underrated component in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, Mateo Kovacic is always at the heart of the action. The Croatian has had a phenomenal career, playing for three of the biggest clubs in the world whilst conquering the continent four times.

With Rodri out injured with ACL heartbreak, Kovacic now has to fill a noticeable void for the Citizens. There’s no doubt he can do it, with the 30-year-old’s well-rounded game considered to be just as good as other stars on this list. Trusted by Guardiola, he’s taken to life as City’s number eight with ease.

7 Enzo Fernandez

Chelsea

Enzo Fernandez has not had the dream start to life at Chelsea. Arriving for a Premier League record fee in January 2023, he was expected to shine after impressing for Argentina at the 2022 World Cup. However, like a damp squib, the 23-year-old is yet to live up to the hype.

It’s important to remember he is still only young, and the energetic midfielder’s moments of class – albeit inconsistently – mean he features on this list. If Enzo Maresca can channel his inconsistency into streams of greatness regularly, the Blues will have one of the best midfielders in the world.

6 Dominik Szoboszlai

Liverpool

Arriving in the summer of 2023 from RB Leipzig, Dominik Szoboszlai has been at the heart of Liverpool’s midfield. Seen as a creative outlet, others are forced to do the hard defensive work, but the Hungarian can change the direction of matches in a second.

He only picked up five goal contributions in 33 Premier League matches during his first campaign, but his control and composure in the middle of the park does not go unnoticed. Steven Gerrard, one of the club’s greatest-ever players, previously wore the number eight shirt; Szoboszlai is currently doing the legend justice.

5 Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United

Bruno Fernandes can make Man United ‘tick’. He might not do on a regular basis – and he definitely does not act like ‘captain material’ – but compare him to other midfielders in the world and he ranks highly. The former Sporting Lisbon star has all the qualities needed.

Previous stars such as Wayne Rooney and Sir Bobby Charlton have won the number eight shirt at the Theatre of Dreams, and that inspiration has helped Fernandes shine. In 242 matches for the Red Devils, he has scored 79 and picked up 70 assists – consistently at the heart of the action.

4 Pedri

Barcelona

Despite being just 21 years old, Pedri has been cursed by injury during his short career. Mostly made up of countless hamstring problems, the Spaniard struggles for regular minutes, but – when he does – he dominates matches. Barcelona rely on him to be their creative outlet.

At the start of the 2024/25 campaign, the playmaker has impressed with three goal contributions in eight La Liga matches. However, it’s his ‘quiet’ work which is just as important. The odd flick there, the stunning through-ball next, the precise chip to finish it off; Pedri treats the football pitch like a canvas.

3 Fabian Ruiz

Paris Saint-Germain

From one Spanish midfielder who is known for his elegance and beauty on the ball to one who’s known for his hard work, aggression and dominance. Seen as a star who can break up play, Fabian Ruiz is just as important for both Paris Saint-Germain and his country.

At Euro 2024, he picked up four goal contributions in the tournament, acting as the tip of the iceberg to his dominance in the middle of the park. For PSG, he has started the new campaign in world-class form, with Luis Enrique trusting him against every side they face.

2 Martin Odegaard

Arsenal

Although currently out injured, Martin Odegaard is one of the best number eights in the world. The Norwegian star is the beating heart of Mikel Arteta’s world-class Arsenal side, with the Gunners looking to finally win the Premier League title in 2025 after 21 years of hurt.

He’s their main creative outlet, consistently looking to move the ball quickly into the final third. The 25-year-old registered 18 goal contributions during the last Premier League campaign, with his composure and elegance on the ball giving the best defenders in the world nightmares.

1 Federico Valverde

Real Madrid

Finally, Federico Valverde has been ranked as the best number eight in football currently. The Uruguayan is a key cog in the system for Carlo Ancelotti’s sides, dominating matches in the middle of the park with ease in La Liga and Europe’s elite competition – the Champions League.

As an aggressor who is capable of breaking up play, Valverde is always at the heart of the action, whilst his partnership with

Aurelien Tchouaméni has proved crucial. Real Madrid have had several legendary number eights – including Toni Kroos most recently – yet the 26-year-old is living up to the shirt’s prestige. He’s only had the shirt since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, but he is expected to keep it for the foreseeable future.

Stats via Transfermarkt and Statmuse