Andrés Iniesta

[lessthanjake]

It'd be hard to get him in the top 10:

Messi, Maradona, Cruyff, Pele, Beckenbauer, Di Stefano, Garrincha, Platini, Brazilian Ronaldo, Puskas, etc. It'd be hard to get him ahead of those guys. But he DOES have probably like 5 more good years in him, so who knows?

 

[jiopi]

We could start with the "Lost points in 8 away games last season with Iniesta not playing in 6 of them" trophy.

So what you are saying, his liability to injuries really makes him a legend and crucial for the team?

 

[Mes que un club]

It'd be hard to get him in the top 10:

Messi, Maradona, Cruyff, Pele, Beckenbauer, Di Stefano, Garrincha, Platini, Brazilian Ronaldo, Puskas, etc. It'd be hard to get him ahead of those guys. But he DOES have probably like 5 more good years in him, so who knows?

I haven't seen football long enough to know all these players well (meaning i haven't really seen them play bar youtube videos); but i don't really envision a top 10 without Xavi.

 

[Ursegor]

So what you are saying, his liability to injuries really makes him a legend and crucial for the team? :eusa_think:

No, he's absolutely not crucial for the team. And he's definitely no legend.

 

[Mes que un club]

No, he's absolutely not crucial for the team. And he's definitely no legend.

Easy way out to go sarcastic, huh?

 

[Ursegor]

Easy way out to go sarcastic, huh?

What else do you want me to reply to that? Everyone can see how overrated Iniesta is with his "all style no substance poor man's Zidane replica" shit and all. I'd rather have Fabregas starting. At least he can score goals. Look at the stats. LOOK AT THEM!

 

[lessthanjake]

I haven't seen football long enough to know all these players well (meaning i haven't really seen them play bar youtube videos); but i don't really envision a top 10 without Xavi.

I'd say Xavi breaks the top 20. I'm a big fan, but I think it's really hard for a CM to get super high up in these rankings just because there are so many great goalscorers in the past, and goalscorers are just naturally more decisive than a player like Xavi could be. The fact that Xavi has defined a whole dominant style of play does bump him up though.

 

[khorne]

I am far more worried about xavi's recognition in the future than iniesta's. Iniesta has managed to carve himself a niche. Aesthetics and ball skills are his domain, even when messi is playing. Then there is that goal in the final, the one against chelsea, the euro 2012. in 30, 40 years Iniesta will be synonymous with the spanish golden generation. I fear xavi will have to settle for mr tiqui taca

 

[CatalinR10]

77 Barcelona assists by Iniesta, per season since 2002/03: 1 - 3 - 4 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 12 - 6 - 13 - 11 - 12(ongoing).

 

[Ender]

Barcelona's Andres Iniesta on search for football perfection

Barcelona's Andres Iniesta tells BBC Sport's Football Focus he believes "football evolution wouldn't be possible if perfection existed".

The Barcelona midfielder says the secret of his success is simply trying "to be better every year".

You can watch the full interview on Saturday at 12:15 GMT on BBC One. LINK

Any chance there's a copy of this interview online?

 

[Mes que un club]

and goalscorers are just naturally more decisive than a player like Xavi could be.

Well, we fundamentally disagree here. Guess that's what makes the difference in our ranking of him.

 

[kostasgtc]

I am far more worried about xavi's recognition in the future than iniesta's. Iniesta has managed to carve himself a niche. Aesthetics and ball skills are his domain, even when messi is playing. Then there is that goal in the final, the one against chelsea, the euro 2012. in 30, 40 years Iniesta will be synonymous with the spanish golden generation. I fear xavi will have to settle for mr tiqui taca

when years past im sure most will talk about messi,but for me if it wasnt xavi nothing of that whould have happened.HE is the system,HE is the begining.

 

[raskolnikov]

True fans know what Xavi really brings, he is our engine.

 

[Henry_IB]

Xavi's brilliance is much harder to understand than Iniesta's and Messi's. His greatness won't be truly understood until we see Barca without him.

 

[lessthanjake]

Well, we fundamentally disagree here. Guess that's what makes the difference in our ranking of him.

I truly value Xavi. He's in my top 20 ever, well above a ton of fantastic goal-scorers, but an ALL TIME GREAT forward will help his team more than Xavi can. We see that now with Messi. It's the nature of the game; it's about goals. And when you have an all-time great striker, it's usually someone who brings those goals, but also brings more to his game than just that (i.e. think about the difference between Messi and Muller). Those sorts of players just ARE more decisive than Xavi could be. Think about Pele, Messi, Cruyff, Brazilian Ronaldo, Di Stefano, etc. These guys were among the best goalscorers of their eras AND were fantastic contributors to their team in other ways beyond that. Xavi is not a goalscorer. He contributes A LOT in other ways, but no way does Xavi's passing and control of the midfield overcome Di Stefano's all time great goalscoring, fantastic dribbling and passing, AND ridiculous defensive contributions, for instance. Similarly, he can't overcome Pele's all time great goalscoring, all time great dribbling, and exceptional passing. I can see saying Xavi is better than another non-scorer like Zidane (I happen to think that myself) or a pure scorer like Muller, but I can't see putting Xavi ahead of guys who were ridiculous goalscorers but were also arguably as good as Xavi even if you took away their goals.