There are several terms for the player in the deepest midfield role. The defensive midfielder. The holding midfielder. The sitting midfielder. The anchorman. They all convey roughly the same kind of ...

To advance in the 2026 World Cup, the USMNT must be sound and stable defensively. With the tournament less than a year away, things are looking good at center back with Chris Richards and Tim Ream.

Chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on all things Premier League. David asked: Should Liverpool buy a defensive midfielder? We can look soft in the centre of the team ...

This is part of a series from The Athletic breaking down the tactical approach of Premier League teams for the 2025-26 season. Read about other clubs below: Many outside the club might only admit it ...

Every great team in history has almost always been built around a world-class central defensive midfielder. Think Roy Keane at Manchester United, Claude Makélélé at Chelsea, Sergio Busquets at ...

The role of the defensive midfielder has evolved significantly in recent years. What was once primarily about breaking up play and making crunching tackles is now a position that demands more: not ...

The Houston Dynamo signed free agent defensive midfielder Diadie Samassekou on Saturday. The 29-year-old Mali native is signed through 2026 with club options for 2027-28. He will occupy an ...