Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta just lately shared his private checklist of the 5 biggest soccer gamers of all time.
Surprisingly, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo made the minimize, regardless of their legendary careers and long-standing affiliation with Iniesta. As an alternative, the previous Barcelona star chosen 5 gamers who’ve had a profound affect on his profession and the soccer world.
1. Michael Laudrup
Iniesta’s childhood idol, Michael Laudrup, earned the highest spot. Laudrup, famend for his technical brilliance and playmaking skills, was an enormous affect on Iniesta’s type of play. Iniesta admired Laudrup’s imaginative and prescient and creativity, attributes that he himself would come to grasp. “I’ve been making an attempt to be like him since I used to be a child,” Iniesta admitted.
2. Xavi Hernandez
As a long-time teammate and probably the most profitable partnerships in soccer, Xavi’s inclusion is not any shock. Iniesta and Xavi performed collectively in 486 video games, with their legendary midfield pairing pivotal to Barcelona’s success. Iniesta praised Xavi for his skill to regulate matches and ship pinpoint passes, calling him his “ideally suited participant.”
3. Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola, who formed a lot of Iniesta’s tactical understanding of the sport, was one other key determine in his footballing journey. Regardless of by no means taking part in collectively at Barcelona, Iniesta revered Guardiola each as a participant and a coach. Guardiola, in flip, has all the time held Iniesta within the highest regard.
4. David Silva
Iniesta’s admiration for David Silva, one other artistic genius, is evident. The pair shared a deep understanding on the worldwide stage, making 87 appearances collectively for Spain. Silva’s passing vary and dribbling type mirrored Iniesta’s personal, making him one in every of his private favourites.
5. Santi Cazorla
Iniesta rounded out his checklist with Santi Cazorla, an surprising however appreciated alternative. Recognized for his creativity and technical finesse, Cazorla captured Iniesta’s consideration along with his easy type of play. Regardless that Cazorla remains to be taking part in skilled soccer at 40, Iniesta’s respect for his distinctive expertise stays robust.
