Andrés
Iniesta Luján was born on the 11th of May, 1984. He played the
Spanish
U-15, U-16, U-17, U-19, U-21 and made his senior team debut in 2006.
Iniesta has been one of the most outstanding players of his generation and of
all time. He has done it at the highest possible level both at club and national
level. Graduating from the famed Barcelona academy, ‘La Masia’ where he was
schooled for the “receive, pass, offer, receive, pass, offer” philosophy
according to the man himself. He initially struggled to adapt to the new
setting, finding it hard to detach himself from his parents. He made his debut for
the club at 18 years of age in 2002 under former coach, Van Gaal Louis announcing
himself to the world and has been a mainstay in the team ever since. Overshadowed
by the famous pass master, Xavi in the middle who was one of the best passers
the game has ever seen, he went about doing his job under the radar making the
team tick with his slickness, guile, body movement, elegance, flowing dribbles,
wide range of passing, cool-headedness and his occasionally important goals. Averaging
a pass success rate of 92.8% in the 2010/2011 season, he was a pass master
himself according to whoscored. He has won 30 trophies for both club and
country making him the most decorated Spanish player of all-time. He was part
of the Spanish team that conquered the world in 2010, Europe in 2008 and 2012,
a team considered as the best of all time playing the brand of football called ‘tiki-taka’
contributing immensely to the team in both offence and defence. He was the
player that scored the 2010 world cup winner to deny Netherlands again
continuing their wait for a major trophy, engraving his name into the pantheon
of greatness in a man of the match performance. Won the EURO 2012 player of the
tournament, man of the match in the final, 2012 champions league best player. And
with this collections not going unrecognised and unnoticed, he was crowned
Europe’s best player beating Ribery and C.Ronaldo to the punch in what was his
most successful year. He came third and second in 2012 and 2010 FIFA Ballon d’or
respectively.
U-15, U-16, U-17, U-19, U-21 and made his senior team debut in 2006.
Iniesta has been one of the most outstanding players of his generation and of
all time. He has done it at the highest possible level both at club and national
level. Graduating from the famed Barcelona academy, ‘La Masia’ where he was
schooled for the “receive, pass, offer, receive, pass, offer” philosophy
according to the man himself. He initially struggled to adapt to the new
setting, finding it hard to detach himself from his parents. He made his debut for
the club at 18 years of age in 2002 under former coach, Van Gaal Louis announcing
himself to the world and has been a mainstay in the team ever since. Overshadowed
by the famous pass master, Xavi in the middle who was one of the best passers
the game has ever seen, he went about doing his job under the radar making the
team tick with his slickness, guile, body movement, elegance, flowing dribbles,
wide range of passing, cool-headedness and his occasionally important goals. Averaging
a pass success rate of 92.8% in the 2010/2011 season, he was a pass master
himself according to whoscored. He has won 30 trophies for both club and
country making him the most decorated Spanish player of all-time. He was part
of the Spanish team that conquered the world in 2010, Europe in 2008 and 2012,
a team considered as the best of all time playing the brand of football called ‘tiki-taka’
contributing immensely to the team in both offence and defence. He was the
player that scored the 2010 world cup winner to deny Netherlands again
continuing their wait for a major trophy, engraving his name into the pantheon
of greatness in a man of the match performance. Won the EURO 2012 player of the
tournament, man of the match in the final, 2012 champions league best player. And
with this collections not going unrecognised and unnoticed, he was crowned
Europe’s best player beating Ribery and C.Ronaldo to the punch in what was his
most successful year. He came third and second in 2012 and 2010 FIFA Ballon d’or
respectively.
In 2007,
Real Madrid were rumoured to have made a £60m release clause offer for the
midfielder. Iniesta came out to deny the link saying "I've been told about
that and I'm very surprised. I can't do anything about it but I'd like to
insist once again that I want to stay here. When I say I want to retire in
Barça, I say it with all my heart. And my wishes are above everything else."
In 2008, he was described as the best player in the world by former teammate,
Samuel Etoo, "the best player in the world; whenever Iniesta is on the
pitch, he creates a spectacle." He however scored a spectacle in the 2008
semi-final second leg draw with Chelsea, a cracking 25-yard volley in stoppage
time that made the world stand still for a moment. The goal sent Barcelona to
the final on away goal rule. Iniesta wrote, "I connected with that shot
with the outside, not the inside or the tip of my boot, but right from my
heart, with all my might." Even, the great Sir Alex Ferguson acknowledge
his ability pointing him out as Barcelona’s danger man before the 2009 final, "I'm not obsessed with
Messi, Iniesta is the danger. He's fantastic. He makes the team work. The way
he finds passes, his movement and ability to create space is incredible. He's
so important for Barcelona," and after the game, Wayne Rooney
described Iniesta as the best player in the world. Eliminated by Italy in the
second round at the on-going EUROS, he was Spain’s captain and the main man of
the team, anchoring the team. He is a born role model and captain. He was an
assistant captain for of Xavi’s reign but became the captain after his
departure supported by Bousquets and 5-time World footballer of the year,
Lionel Messi. Named man of the match in 2015/2016 \El Classico, he became the
third player to be applauded at the Santiago Bernabeu by Madrid faithful only
after Maradona and Ronaldinho. He made a total of 647 appearances for Barcelona,
scoring 59 goals and 111 appearances for Spain with 13 goals. Perhaps there
were no Xavi in the Barcelona team, he would have shone the more.
You might hate him for hurting your team, but even the most faithful
of opposing supporters revere him. To neutrals, he is the most loved in the
Barcelona team.
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