Black Goalkeeper's

[CardiffCitySince1927]

Jay Jay Okocha

Would’ve had him down as a tricky winger myself.

Patrick Vieira was much more of a ball player than he was ever given credit for.
Because of his stature (and perhaps his colour) people pigeon holed him as a destroyer but that really wasn't what he was about.
John Barnes could play in that position once his pace went.
Ruud gullit played in midfield sometimes and was pretty effective.
Frank rijkard (so) as well although more defensive.
Yaya toure
There must have been a fair few Brazilians over the years

Vieira maybe, he was class on the ball but even though he wasn’t about that idea he was in that position so can he really be classed as a ballplaying midfielder?
Guillit was excellent across the park, his main position was attacking midfield/centre forward in his prime so more offensive than ball playing realling
Don’t know about Barnes personally - didn’t watch him
Rjikaard was a defensive midfielder primarily...
Yaya Toure, was more of a box to box powerhouse in my view

Carlton Palmer

Didn’t watch him play so can’t comment

Abedi Pele?

Didn’t see him play unfortunately

Kante? Plays midfield for Chelsea.

Is the best defensive midfielder in the world. Not ball playing midfielder

Axel Witsel
Corentin Tolisso
Blaise Matuidi
Youri Tielemans
Gini Wijnaldum
Fabinho (for Liverpool not Monaco)
Tanguy Ndombele
Fred?


There's probably loads more depending on your definition of "ball playing".

Those are mostly defensive midfielders (Matuidi, Tolisso, Fabinho, Witsel). Others are box to box (Ndombele, Fred, Wjinaldum). Haven’t watched Tielemans enough to verify the claim

Edgar Davids....Clarence Seedorf

David’s I didn’t watch but Seedorf was more gifted at box to box in my view. Though I could see that as an exception