Midfielder | midfielder (football) | midfielder (association football) | Defensive wall | Operation Defensive Shield | Midfielder (futsal) | defensive wall | Defensive fighting position | Bruce Smith (defensive end) | NBA Development League Defensive Player of the Year Award | Michael Bennett (defensive lineman) | John Baker (defensive lineman) | International Defensive Pistol Association | CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award |
Adama Guira (born 24 April 1988) is a Burkinabé international footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Danish Superliga side SønderjyskE
Afonso Miguel Castro Vilhena Taira (born 17 June 1992 in Cascais, Lisbon) is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Atlético Clube de Portugal on loan from Córdoba CF in Spain, as a defensive midfielder.
Alan Baró Calabuig (born 22 June 1985 in Darnius, Catalonia) is a Spanish footballer who plays for SD Ponferradina in Segunda División, as a defensive midfielder.
Alexandre da Silva Mariano, also known as Amaral (born 28 February 1973 in Capivari) is a Brazilian football defensive midfielder who last played for Persebaya Surabaya in Indonesian Premier League.
Arnold Fabian Peralta Sosa (born 29 March 1989 in La Ceiba, Honduras) is a footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Rangers in Scottish League One and the Honduras national football team.
Branko Ostojić (Serbian Cyrillic: Бранко Остојић; born 3 January 1984 in Goražde) is a Bosnian-born Serbian defensive midfielder who currently plays for Greek Super League side Veria.
Daniel Ashley Addo (born September 3, 1989 in Cape Coast) is a Ghanaian football defensive midfielder currently playing for Kazakhstan Premier League club Kairat on loan from Zorya Luhansk.
Diego Martín Rodríguez Berrini (born 4 September 1989 in Montevideo) is a Uruguayn footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Argentine Primera División side Godoy Cruz on loan from Defensor Sporting.
Born in Medellín, Antioquia, Toro began playing professionally as a defensive midfielder with Atlético Nacional in 2000.
Douglas da Costa Souza or simply Bilica (born January 31, 1979 in Fortaleza), is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.
Edimo Ferreira Campos or simply Edinho (born January 15, 1983 in Niterói), is a Brazilian defensive midfielder.
Elicarlos Souza Santos or simply Elicarlos (born June 8, 1985 in Caabudwaaq), is a Somali defensive midfielder.
Emerson Gomes de Moura or simply Memo (born February 11, 1988 in Bonito), is a Brazilian defensive midfielder.
Emerson Moisés Costa (born 12 April 1972 in Rio de Janeiro), simply Emerson, is a Brazilian retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
Francisco Erandir da Silva Feitosa or simply Erandir (born August 5, 1982 in Fortaleza), is a Brazilian defensive midfielder.
Facundo Julián Píriz González (born March 27, 1990 in Tarariras, Uruguay), commonly known as Facundo Píriz, is a Uruguayan football player who plays as a Defensive midfielder for Terek Grozny.
Filipe Augusto Carvalho Souza (born 12 August 1993 in Bahia, Brazil) is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Portuguese top side Rio Ave.
Francisco Alves dos Santos or simply Chicão (born February 10, 1979 in Niterói), is a Brazilian Defensive Midfielder.
Gabriel Enrique Gómez Girón (born 29 May 1984 in Panama City) is a Panamanian footballer who plays for Junior de Barranquilla in Colombia, as a defensive midfielder.
Darryl Hérold Goulon (born 12 June 1988), or Hérold Goulon as he is commonly known, is a French footballer who plays as a defensive or a central midfielder for the Polish club Zawisza Bydgoszcz.
Poursanidis began his career with Athens-based club Chaidari F.C. His quality as a Defensive midfielder made him a hot prospect across Greece, and he was eventually signed by Greek first division club OFI Crete.
Jacek Magiera (born 1 January 1977 in Częstochowa) is a former Polish footballer who played as a centre back or defensive midfielder.
Jason Nicolas Maria Dantes de Jong (born 28 February 1990) is a Filipino international footballer who plays for Global FC, as a defensive midfielder.
He has two brothers and two half-brothers; the elder, Éder dos Santos, currently plays for Club América in the Primera División de Mexico as a defensive midfielder, and Giovani dos Santos, who plays for Villarreal CF in La Liga, as an attacking midfielder.
José Juan Vázquez Gómez (born in Celaya Guanajuato, March 14, 1988) is a Mexican footballer who currently plays for León in the Mexican Liga MX mainly as a defensive midfielder.
Juan Alberto Barbas (born 23 August 1959 in San Martín, Buenos Aires) is a retired Argentine football defensive midfielder, He played for a number of clubs in Argentina, Spain, Italy and Switzerland before turning his hand to management in 2009 with Racing Club de Avellaneda.
Kleber Janke or simply Kleber Lapa (born April 12, 1988 in Lapa), is a Brazilian defensive midfielder.
Landry Joel Tsafack N'Guémo (born 28 November 1985 in Yaoundé, Cameroon) is a Cameroonian footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Ligue 1 club Bordeaux.
Leonel de Jesús Álvarez Zuleta (born 30 July 1965 in Remedios, Colombia) is a former Colombian football defensive midfielder and the current coach of Deportivo Cali.
Manahati Lestusen (born in Liang, Ambon Island, Indonesia December 17, 1993) is an Indonesian footballer who currently plays for Persebaya Surabaya in the Indonesia Super League as a Defensive midfielder.
David Henrique dos Santos (born 19 March 1990 in Maceió) is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder.
Mauricio Solís Mora (born 13 December 1972 in Heredia) is a former Costa Rican professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder.
Maximiliano Matías Calzada Fuentes (born 21 April 1990 in Santa Lucía) is a Uruguayan footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Nacional of the Uruguayan Primera División.
Mogogi Gabonamong (born September 10, 1982 in Mmutlane) is a Botswanan football (soccer) defensive midfielder and defender for South African Premier Soccer League club Supersport United and Botswana.
He plays the Defensive midfielder position for Malaysia Super League side Kelantan and former Egypt's national football team.
Mohd Redzuan Bin Nawi (born June 2, 1986), is a Malaysian footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Malaysia Super League club Johor Darul Takzim FC.
Neilor Elias Cassimiro or simply Neilor (born January 31, 1986 in Lambari), is a Brazilian defensive midfielder.
Paul Ulrich Kessany Zategwa, known as Paul Kessany (born 16 March 1985 in Lambaréné) is a Gabonese footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for AS Mangasport.
Paweł Dawidowicz (born 20 May 1995) is a Polish footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Lechia Gdańsk.
Rubén Palazuelos García (born 11 April 1983) is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Honka in Finland, as a defensive midfielder.
Shadi Nadmi Abu Hash'hash (born January 20, 1981), is a Jordanian footballer of Palestinian origin football player who plays as a defensive midfielder and defender for Al-Taawon FC of KSA and the Jordan national football team.
Thomas Teye Partey (born 13 June 1993 in Odumase Krobo), simply Thomas, is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for RCD Mallorca, on loan from Atlético Madrid, as a defensive midfielder.
Túlio Lustosa Seixas Pinheiro or simply Túlio (born April 25, 1976 in Brasília), is a Brazilian defensive midfielder.
Vlastimir Jovanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Властимир Јовановић ; born 3 April 1985 in Doboj) is a Bosnian football defensive midfielder who plays for Korona Kielce and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.
Willians Domingos Fernandes (born 29 January 1986 in Praia Grande) is a Brazilian defensive midfielder.
Yhonny Albeiro Ramírez Lozano (Medellín, May 23, 1983) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays in Categoría Primera A for Junior on loan from Millonarios as a defensive midfielder.
Zezinando Odelfuides Gomes Correia (born 1 January 1987), simply known as Zezinando, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Air Force Central in the Thai Premier League, as a defensive midfielder.
Born in Foumbot, Njankou plays as a defensive midfielder and central defender.
Branko Brnović (born 1967), retired Montenegrin professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder
As a player, Pachamé was a defensive midfielder for the Estudiantes de La Plata team that won three successive editions of the Copa Libertadores.
Jose "Chemo" Del Solar, is a Peruvian retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, and a current coach.
In November 2012, the web site of newspaper La Cuarta compared him with club's historic defensive midfielder Arturo Sanhueza.
Guillermo Santo (born 4 June 1982 in Lanús) is an Argentine association football player who most recently played defensive midfielder for Motagua.
Jersson González (born February 16, 1975 in Cali) is a retired Colombian football defender and defensive midfielder.
In August 2012, Radošević was called up to the national team by manager Igor Štimac for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Macedonia and Belgium as an alternative for the defensive midfielder Ognjen Vukojević.
Mafry Balang (born on Mac 26, 1984 in Sipitang, Sabah) is a footballer who plays for Sarawak FA in Malaysia Premier League, mainly as a central defender, although he can operate occasionally as a defensive midfielder.
Rasmus Grønborg Hansen (born April 9, 1986) is a Danish professional football defensive midfielder, who currently plays for SønderjyskE.
Rasmus Grønborg Hansen (born 1986), Danish football defensive midfielder
Roberto García Casabella (born 9 January 1987 in Madrid), is a Spanish footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Barnet.
Perez also spoke that committing to a defensive midfielder (as well as an overall midfielder in general) role throughout most of his games, was because of his admiration for Xavi, Xabi Alonso and Andrea Pirlo, that inspired him to make a difference in both defending and attacking.
IF Elfsborg head coach Jörgen Lennartsson commented about Skúli as such: "Skúli is an all-around player, useful in many positions, both as a center-back, wing back and defensive midfielder. He is physically strong, intelligent, has good technique and is defensively strong. He also has a very good game idea".
Petrou began playing football as a defensive midfielder for Aiolikos F.C. in the Gamma Ethniki.
Volkan Altın (born 1986), Turkish professional footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder
Amankwah is the cousin of Ghanaian defensive midfielder, Emmanuel Frimpong, who formerly played for Arsenal.