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The midfielder who sits in front of the defence, breaks up attacks, and gives the ball to more creative players. Also called a defensive midfielder or number 6. Makélélé, Kanté, and Busquets are the famous examples - they make their teams work through positioning and winning the ball back. The job has evolved, and now holding midfielders are expected to pass well too, not just destroy.
Claude Makélélé's importance to Chelsea became so apparent that the role was nicknamed "The Makélélé Role" - when Real Madrid sold him in 2003, Zinedine Zidane said, "Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?"
Robbie
Feb 3, 2026
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