Best Midfielders in the La Liga 2025/26
Per-90 performance rankings · Rising Transfers DNA Analysis · 25 players ranked
Based on per-90 statistics across 25 La Liga midfielders in 2025/26, Pepelu leads the ranking as a Ball-Winner with a composite score of 3.91. Pablo Fornals (Creator) ranks second at 3.88, followed by Federico Valverde (Metronome) at 3.80. All rankings are calculated using Rising Transfers' 47-dimension per-90 analysis methodology.
Methodology: Per-90 stats explained · DNA matching
Pepelu
23 games · Spain
Pablo Fornals
29 games · Spain
Federico Valverde
28 games · Uruguay
Full La Liga Midfielders Rankings
| # | Player | Style | KP/90 | F3rd/90 | TW/90 | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pepelu | Ball-Winner | 1.05 | 9.79 | 1.32 | 23 |
| 2 | Pablo Fornals | Creator | 2.58 | 8.02 | 0.94 | 29 |
| 3 | Federico Valverde | Metronome | 1.58 | 9.17 | 0.89 | 28 |
| 4 | Aurélien Tchouaméni | Metronome | 0.92 | 9.43 | 1.40 | 26 |
| 5 | Mikel Jauregizar | Box-to-Box | 0.84 | 8.15 | 1.52 | 28 |
| 6 | Brais Méndez | Creator | 1.41 | 7.65 | 0.80 | 25 |
| 7 | Antonio Blanco | Ball-Winner | 0.59 | 7.43 | 1.72 | 26 |
| 8 | Jon Moncayola | Creator | 1.21 | 7.38 | 0.75 | 27 |
| 9 | Sergi Darder | Creator | 2.13 | 6.31 | 0.38 | 29 |
| 10 | Aleix Febas | Metronome | 0.79 | 7.24 | 1.16 | 28 |
| 11 | Santi Comesaña | Box-to-Box | 0.90 | 6.03 | 0.95 | 27 |
| 12 | Marc Aguado | Ball-Winner | 0.19 | 5.41 | 1.01 | 28 |
| 13 | Djibril Sow | Balanced Midfielder | 0.97 | 3.84 | 0.92 | 25 |
| 14 | Mauro Arambarri | Balanced Midfielder | 0.59 | 3.77 | 1.43 | 29 |
| 15 | Isco | Creator | 3.54 | N/A | N/A | 22 |
| 16 | Alex Freeman | Active Full-Back | 1.73 | N/A | N/A | 30 |
| 17 | Joan Jordán | Creator | 1.95 | N/A | N/A | 25 |
| 18 | Lander Astiazaran | Creative | 1.29 | N/A | N/A | 30 |
| 19 | Dani Lorenzo | Creator | 1.15 | N/A | N/A | 29 |
| 20 | Manu Molina | Metronome | 1.28 | N/A | N/A | 36 |
| 21 | Dani Rodríguez | Creator | 1.41 | N/A | N/A | 37 |
| 22 | Rafel Bauzà | Balanced Midfielder | 0.95 | N/A | N/A | 28 |
| 23 | Donny van de Beek | Balanced Midfielder | 1.14 | N/A | N/A | 26 |
| 24 | Ibrahim Diabaté | Prolific | 0.96 | N/A | N/A | 29 |
| 25 | Beñat Prados | Ball-Winner | 0.55 | N/A | N/A | 30 |
KP = Key passes · F3rd = Passes into final third · TW = Tackles won · Int = Interceptions · Clr = Clearances · GC = Goals conceded
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best midfielder in the La Liga right now?
Based on per-90 data in 2025/26, Pepelu is the top-ranked midfielder in the La Liga. Pepelu is classified as a Ball-Winner by Rising Transfers' DNA analysis system.
How are La Liga midfielders ranked on Rising Transfers?
Rising Transfers ranks midfielders using a composite per-90 score across key performance dimensions specific to the position. All statistics are normalised per 90 minutes of play to allow fair comparison between players with different minutes. Only players with 1,350+ minutes (equivalent to approximately 15 full matches) are included to ensure statistical reliability.
What does the DNA archetype mean for midfielders?
Each player is assigned a DNA archetype (e.g. Creator, Ball-Winner, Pressing Forward) based on their playing style vector — a 768-dimensional representation of their per-90 performance across 47 metrics. The archetype describes how the player plays, not just their position.
How often is the La Liga midfielder ranking updated?
Rankings are recalculated weekly as new match data is processed into Rising Transfers' DNA pipeline. The underlying per-90 statistics are sourced from live match data across the La Liga season.
Midfielders Rankings in Other Leagues
Other Positions in the La Liga
Rankings are generated by Rising Transfers using per-90 statistics from the 2025/26 La Liga season. Only players with 1,350+ minutes in the current season are included to ensure statistical reliability. Scores are computed using a position-specific composite formula across 47 performance dimensions. Data is refreshed weekly. Learn more about our methodology →
Some players may be excluded due to data availability (e.g. mid-season transfers, injury absences, or cup-only appearances). Rankings reflect on-pitch statistical performance and do not account for team defensive structure or shot quality — elite players on dominant teams may rank lower on volume-based metrics.