5 players who could have won the Ballon d'Or in the absence of Ronaldo and Messi

#1 Andrés Iniesta

Iniesta scoring the World Cup winner

As a World Cup winner, 2-time European Championship winner, 9-time La Liga champion, 6-time Spanish Cup champion and 4-time UEFA Champions League winner, Andres Iniesta is one of the most accomplished footballers in history. What makes it even more impressive is that Andrés Iniesta was the driving force behind by his club and country’s success.

The Spanish midfielder became world-renowned for his intricate play, quick passing, mesmerising dribbling and unparalleled creativity. At his peak, there wasn’t a team in world football the midfielder couldn’t have walked into. In 2012, Iniesta had his second-highest ever Ballon d’Or ranking, where he finished 3rd behind both Messi and Ronaldo. Many believed that after he scored the winning goal in the World Cup final, is when the Spaniard should have picked up the prestigious award.

Not many players across history have had an impact like the midfielder, he was a player that literally defined Barcelona and Spain’s best-ever teams. Perhaps because he doesn’t score or assist the most, people seem to underrate his contribution to those successful campaigns but if you ask those who were playing with him, they’d be the first to tell you how important he was.

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