10 greatest Barcelona players of the 21st century 

#4 Andres Iniesta

Andres Iniesta

Having shown his talents from a young age, Andres Iniesta was courted by several top clubs in Spain, with the final two choices being Real Madrid and Barcelona.

His parents ultimately chose the latter, with their offer of boarding facilities swinging the pendulum in the club's favour in 1996 and thus begun the young boy's 22-year association with the Blaugrana.

He spent five developmental years in La Masia and progressed through the junior sides until he made his senior debut in 2001 but initially struggled to establish himself in the first team, with players like Xavi, Luis Enrique, and Philip Cocu holding sway in midfield. However, his class shone through and he soon became a cornerstone for Barcelona as they rewrote the history books.

Alongside Xavi and Busquets, Iniesta formed arguably the greatest midfield combination in history and the trio were mainstays of the sides that conquered at both club and international level.

He functioned as the link between midfield and attack, with his creativity and ability to open up spaces with just a swivel of his waist playing a major role in establishing Barcelona's dominance.

Iniesta ended his career at the club when he signed for Vissel Kobe in 2018 and got an electric sendforth in his last match at the Camp Nou, having represented the club a total of 674 times (second highest) and is the second most decorated player in the history of the club with 33 major trophies.

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