Andrés Iniesta — A Class of His Own
People will always argue who is or was the best player in the world. Names like Pele and Maradona have always been highlighted when this question is asked. Today people talk quite rightly about Messi and Ronaldo and which one is the best. How do you compare past with present and should we even attempt to try as will it ever solve the argument? Perhaps we should just be happy with producing an all-time list of players that can be deemed the best of their era that can be added to as the years go by. In England, we will treasure the likes of Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton and Bobby Moore and there are many more names people will argue should be on the list. In Germany, there is Beckenbauer and in France Zidane. And so, the list grows and the discussion continues.
As one career is heading into his twilight years, there is one man who may be slightly overlooked when people are compiling this list down the years. This maybe down to his reluctance to grab the limelight and shy away from the fame so easily gained in his profession. However, when the name Andrés Iniesta is mentioned, people’s eyes light up with total admiration for not only his magical skills but also his conduct and modesty. You never hear a derogatory word said about him. How many players in a lifetime have been applauded by opposition fans when leaving the field? Not very many. Iniesta is consistently applauded by other fans and even fans of Barcelona’s most fiercest rival, Real Madrid, have applauded him in one Classico match!
To determine if you deserve to have your name on this list of all-time best we should qualify what means best so let’s use the most common questions when people discuss the best:-
- Player Stats — what the player has won in his career.
- World Class — can they stand out on the world stage?
- The Best in their position — will they get into any team in the world at the pinnacle of their career?
- Weakness — Do they have any weak points to their game.
Player Stats
To date Iniesta has won the following major honours in his career: -
• 1 World Cup Title with Spain
• 2 Euro Titles with Spain
• 4 Champions League Titles with Barcelona
• 7 La Liga Titles with Barcelona
• 5 Copa del Rey tiles with Barcelona
• 6 Spanish Super Cup titles with Barcelona
• 2 UEFA Super Cup Titles with Barcelona.
An extremely impressive set of honours that very few players, if any down the ages, can better. I don’t think even Pele or Maradona have won so many titles with their respective country and clubs. Therefore, in this category of judging the best in the world, Iniesta breezes it.
World Class
Having shined in the 2010 World Cup with not just his goal in the final but his overall contribution in the tournament he was arguably the best player in the world at that time. He received player of the tournament for the 2012 Euro Championships to help his side win a third consecutive title on the world stage. He has consistently performed well for Spain despite their demise in 2014 and 2016 tournaments and is still doing so today. I believe then it is sure to say that Iniesta stands out very well on the world stage. Not only playing for Spain but in Champions League finals Iniesta has made a massive contribution in the world’s elite competitions.
The Best in their Position
People will always argue who is the best in a particular position but if other footballers are the best people to judge and, if there is no argument on that, then Iniesta certainly ticks this one. So many footballers have remarked on how Iniesta is either the man they most aspire to, or be nominated in many a player’s best 11 of all time. When interviewed recently Frank Lampard was asked of all players in the world who he would have like to have played with. Iniesta was his instant reply! Iniesta has consistently fitted into any midfield role he has been asked to play over the years whether it be left, right or centre midfield and whether it be a more advanced position or, more recently, further back. Consequently, I think we can tick this box as him being best in his position.
Weakness
The only think that could ever be marked against Iniesta is the fact that for a such attacking midfielder he doesn’t score enough goals. Maybe if you compare him with say Zidane then there is some substance to this. I would argue however that Iniesta excels at being the ultimate team player and will much prefer to set his team mates up with a superb passing ball to score than take the glory himself. As we all know when he does score they are usually the most important goals ever. Significant goals in El Classico, the last-minute goal at Stamford Bridge in 2009 to send his side to the Champions League final and of course his most famous goal to win Spain’s their first world cup final.
Conclusion
I would like to add at this point another subject not usually raised when judging the best in the world and that is conduct. With all the fame, high profile and money paid to them nowadays it is so easy for the footballer, especially the young stars, to buy into it all and let it go to their heads while they get lost in the bubble. Iniesta has never ever done this. He is the ultimate professional both on and off the field. To date, he has never been sent off in his professional career. Zidane will always be regarded by many as the ultimate midfield player and quite rightly so. However, he has never been a saint and back in 2006 one could argue that if he had only ignored what must have been a terrible insult from Materrazi then he may have helped his side win another world cup. Instead as one of the world’s best penalty takers he was not there when it mattered and subsequently let his side down. Had Iniesta been in the same situation, one couldn’t ever imagine he would do the same thing. Instead I imagine he would have turned his back and then produced a wonderful slide rule defence splitting pass to set up one of his team mates to score the winning goal.
For this reason, Iniesta should be held up as the perfect example by any parent or coach for their aspiring young prodigies to aspire to. No arrogance, no bling, not even one tattoo, just simply a humble family man who does his job rather well. Andrés Iniesta is in a class of his own.
