8 players who could have won the Ballon d'Or in the last 8 years

#6 Andres Iniesta (2012)

Iniesta was integral to everything good that Barcelona and Spain did in 2012

A player always in the running for the end of year individual awards, there were many seasons where Iniesta could have claimed to be one of the best players in Europe.

2012, though, was perhaps the year when he shone the brightest.

It wasn't Barcelona's best year collectively, with no league title and defeat in the Champions League semi-finals, but Iniesta thrived regardless. After Pep Guardiola's departure, Iniesta' calmness and skill helped to steer the club forward under new manager Tito Vilanova in the opening half of the 2012-2013 season.

Often the lesser-talked about half of the famed 'Xavi-Iniesta' double act, 2012 finally felt like the year where Iniesta assumed more responsibility, as Xavi peaked.

It's telling that Messi would always thank the Spanish pair when winning his Ballon d'Or award each year; a lot of his goals and success came through Iniesta's stylish movement in the midfield. 2012 saw the continuation of Iniesta's key ability to use his unique techniques to find gaps in the opposition's half, sliding delicate balls through to his front 3.

A player with the touch and passing range of Iniesta deserved to win more individual plaudits and recognition, and 2012 should have been the year for that. Simply put, no player came close to raising football to an art form like he did, his control of the ball and movement without it was beautiful and masterful.