Without a question, one of the greatest midfielders in history is Andres Iniesta. He excelled at the highest level of football, winning practically everything available for both club and country while playing for Barcelona and Spain.
When he scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, he solidified his place as a national hero. That year, he played so well that Zinedine Zidane said the Barcelona star was not awarded the Ballon d’Or.
However, which players influenced Iniesta as a child? In 2017, he revealed his “top four legends” by naming his favourite goalie, defender, midfielder, and attacker in an interview with the Barcelona YouTube channel.
Peter Schmeichel
Goalkeeper
Iniesta selected Peter Schmeichel to start in goal. Sir Alex Ferguson declared the Manchester United custodian the best number one he has taught at Old Trafford, and he is perhaps the best custodian the Premier League has ever seen. Iniesta gave the following explanation for his deep affection for the Dane:
“I would pick Peter Schmeichel for goal because I consider him to be among the best in history. His physical strength and amazing saves drew me in as a child. I wish I could have played with him.
Paolo Maldini, the Protector
Paolo Maldini was chosen next, continuing the tradition of defensive-minded superstars. The Italian, who spent his whole career at AC Milan, is without a doubt the best defender to have ever played the game. He won two European Champion Clubs’ Cup trophies, seven Serie A titles, and three Champions League titles with the Italian powerhouses. Iniesta was gushing, stating:
“To defend him, I would say Paolo Maldini because of everything he has done for Italy, his team, and his entire life. I would have loved to have shared a changing room with him because of his path, his accomplishments, and his style of accomplishing things.
Michael Midfield Laudrup
Michael Laudrup always had a possibility of reaching the list here, even though this name could surprise some people who grew up adoring Barcelona around the same era. The aggressive midfielder, the second legendary Dane to make Iniesta’s four, was a sensation in Spain, winning four La Liga championships and the European Cup at Barcelona in the early 1990s before moving to Real Madrid and winning the league there as well. It’s obvious that Iniesta is not upset about the move:
Since he is one of my heroes, Michael Laudrup is my midfielder. Playing with him, even for a few moment, would have been amazing. His style, his class, his manner of playing and doing things.”
Ronaldo
Forward
Any Barcelona supporter in the 1990s would have been enamoured with Ronaldo’s skills, just like Laudrup. Indeed, every football fan worth their salt has a particular affection for the legendary Brazilian. R9 is among the best attackers in football history, having won two World Cups and the Ballon d’Or in 1997 and 2002. Clearly, Iniesta seemed to agree, stating:
“And since I think Ronaldo is among the finest in the world, I would have liked him in attack. The year he joined Barcelona, in 1996, I was there, and he left me speechless. He got countless accolades after making an impression on the entire world. Every team he played for benefited from having him on it.
