Andrés Iniesta

[jamrock]

I've done this debate already on here and can't be bothered to put the same effort in it now as then, but for me, its not a matter of putting iniesta and Xavi above zidane, at the ridiculously high place some placed him, but bring zidane down that list and below those two.

 

[DinhoR10]

At the end of his career he'll be known as one of the greatest to ever grace the game and If he wins the world cup this year the hype machine will name him the greatest midfielder ever probably.

 

[Babylonian]

Zidane wishes he was as consistent as Xavi/Iniesta/Messi..

 

[Stric]

IMHO, the later a player appears in the span of football history, the more recognition I think he deserves. Football is evolving and I dare say that it is now more complex and harder for players than it was in the past. Iniesta's and Zidane's prime are only about a decade apart, which is not that long, though.

 

[DonAndres]

To whoever keeps starting the Xavi vs. Iniesta debates:

But to indulge, I rate both equally even though I like Iniesta more. The thing I admire most about the holy trinity (Xavi-Busi-Iniesta) in its prime is that you probably won't find any player as consistent as them over the entire 90 minutes. For most elite players, even the best, their output is a series of high quality or highly influential moments throughout a game. It's often disjointed between minutes and an off-on type thing. Even Messi operates this way, Zidane definitely did too. For Xavi/Iniesta/Busi it's a constant flow where their presence both on and off the ball impacts the game in a huge way.

in 08/09 when Xavi played with a faster tempo and moved higher up the pitch to spark attacks, his style was that of the greatest tactical player I can possibly think of. Ursegor was right in saying that his prime was synonymous with Barca's system being at its best for a reason (though it wasn't only Xavi's decline that led to the team's decline, he was a massive factor).

Iniesta is just brilliant with the way he shapes a game. Dragging defenders around to create space with his near flawless dribbling, creating connections and unity between players during attacking plays like it's second nature to him. Iniesta's on the ball intuition is the perfect puzzle piece to Xavi's positional awareness. Over the entire 90 minutes of a game he manages many amazing individual actions coupled with supporting all the players around him with his style, and is effective in doing so in both small games and the most crucial ones. For all of Zidane's clutch goals and amazing moments, he never had an impact on the overall play nearly as much as Iniesta does.

 

[CatalinR10]

 

[CatalinR10]

 

[Egert]

#500 tomorrow.

 

[FiReFTW]

The thing I admire most about the holy trinity (Xavi-Busi-Iniesta) in its prime is that you probably won't find any player as consistent as them over the entire 90 minutes.

True, but what is even more remarkable is how consistent Xavi was at his best over the stretch of games.. seasons... If you think about it, in those prime years during our triple and beyond Xavi was absolutely insanely consistent, in every single game. Compared to Iniesta for example who was exceptional in some but poor in some others.

 

[jamrock]

Iniesta is primarily better than zidane because he can do the magic things zidane does in the final 3rd, especially in those clutch moments and in fact has proven to be more clutch than sir zidane. but iniesta has the added quality of being and amazing Central Midfielder, so even if he isn't opening up defenses, he is their helping his team dominate the opposition's midfield, closing down spaces, linking up play, putting in defenses work. just doing everything you expect from a CM, then he goes up the pitch and turns on a different side to is game.

Xavi is a totally different creature, he is and idea and philosophy behind a play, simply he greatest midfield I have seen and will probably ever see.

 

[Ghost]

Don to save us again.

 

[Darko]

Probably, yeah.

 

[instinct]

500 matches. Awesome. Hope he'll be the captain tomorrow.

 

[Xtroverto]

I don't think many people here actually saw Maradona on a regular basis, because if they had they would never mention him in the same roam as Xavi or Iniesta. Maradona was a ridiculous talent that in particular matches ran the show, but that was more the occation than the rule. More often than not, he was regular or even bad. His time in Napoli has been so inflated it is almost comic to someone like me that saw him play every weekend on Cable TV.

His biggest draw was the warmup circus show he put on before every game. Compared to Maradona, Xavi and Iniesta perform on such a regular basis it is just ridiculous. And the reason for that is, Maradona was not a professional athlete, he consumed cocaine like normal people take their vitamines, he partied all the time with the Naples mobsters (even the night before important matches) and never took training for serious.

Zidane was more regular but people has turned him into something he wasn't, his best years in Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid, you count them on one hand, 1 good year in Bordeaux (1995-96), 2 good years in Juventus (1996-97 and 1997-98) and 2 good years in Real (2001-02 and 2002-03). That is 5 good seasons out of 16. The rest he was just regular, nothing extraordinary.

 

[FiReFTW]

I don't think many people here actually saw Maradona on a regular basis, because if they had they would never mention him in the same roam as Xavi or Iniesta. Maradona was a ridiculous talent that in particular matches ran the show, but that was more the occation than the rule. More often than not, he was regular or even bad. His time in Napoli has been so inflated it is almost comic to someone like me that saw him play every weekend on Cable TV.

His biggest draw was the warmup circus show he put on before every game. Compared to Maradona, Xavi and Iniesta perform on such a regular basis it is just ridiculous. And the reason for that is, Maradona was not a professional athlete, he consumed cocaine like normal people take their vitamines, he partied all the time with the Naples mobsters (even the night before important matches) and never took training for serious.

So your saying he was not as consistent, yes of course... everyone knows that.. but he was still a better player and talent, when he was at his best he was really extraordinary, Iniesta doesn't come close... and I don't even like Maradona all that much. in 588 games he had 312 goals and almost 400 assists, thats more than 1 g/a per game.. not too bad for someone who is not so consistent and also could argue played in italy (a very defensive league).

His 1986 world cup was also stellar to say the least:

Maradona dominated Mexico 1986. The Castrol Index reveals that the captain scored or assisted 10 of Argentina's 14 goals and attempted or created 52% of all La Albiceleste's shots. In addition he embarked on 90 dribbles, some three times more than any other player. Not content with that, El Diego was fouled 53 times, winning his country twice as many free-kicks as any other player who featured in Mexico '86. He was booked once but waited until the final to commit the offence.