Iniesta snubs Zidane, Rodri on list of greatest midfielders

Andres Iniesta named four of his favourite midfielders of all time in 2020, with Barcelona legends Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets featuring alongside childhood idols Michael Laudrup and Pep Guardiola. 

The former Spain international's selections offered an insight into the players who shaped his understanding of midfield play, with notable omissions including Zinedine Zidane and Rodri.

Iniesta enjoyed a trophy-laden career with Barcelona and Spain, winning nine La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies before leaving the Catalan club in 2018. His international achievements included scoring the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, as well as helping Spain claim European Championship titles in 2008 and 2012.

Despite his extraordinary success, the midfielder never forgot the players who inspired him during his formative years. Laudrup, the Danish playmaker who represented Barcelona between 1989 and 1994, was particularly influential.

“Michael Laudrup is my idol from childhood. His technique and his beautiful play style, the way he attacked as a midfielder; I've been trying to be like him since I was a kid,” Iniesta said.

Guardiola also earned a place on the list. Before establishing himself as one of football's most celebrated managers, the Spaniard was an influential Barcelona midfielder who won six La Liga titles and the European Cup as a player.

Iniesta explained his inclusion by saying: “Pep should also be on the list because he was a childhood hero alongside Laudrup.”

The other two selections came from Iniesta's celebrated Barcelona and Spain midfield partnerships.

Xavi played alongside Iniesta during one of the most successful periods in both teams' histories. Their understanding helped Barcelona dominate possession and collect major honours, while Spain's midfield controlled matches during their golden international era.

Explaining his admiration for Xavi, Iniesta said: “He is my ideal player because of how he can control games. He has the ability to provide quality passes in the right places and he is also a leader. He really is an ideal midfielder for me.”

Busquets completed the quartet, having played a crucial role as the deepest midfielder in Barcelona's system. His positional intelligence, distribution and ability to create passing lanes allowed Xavi and Iniesta to influence games further forward.

Iniesta praised his former teammate's ability to read matches and facilitate Barcelona's style of play, describing his supporting role as particularly important.

The selections reflected Iniesta's appreciation for technical quality, intelligent positioning and control of possession. Although Zidane and Rodri were absent from his four choices, the list centred on the players whose influence he knew best, whether through childhood admiration or years of sharing the pitch.