Ballon d'Or: 10 players who could have won if Messi and Ronaldo did not exist

#1 Xavi Hernandez

Xavi is arguably the greatest midfielder of all time

Considered by many to be the greatest Spanish player ever, Xavi Hernandez is truly one of the best midfielders to ever play the game.

Having won all the major trophies club and international competition has to offer, Xavi has carved a unique place for himself in the pantheon of footballing greats. The Spaniard’s vision, pinpoint accurate passing and world class ball control allowed him to dictate the flow of play while rarely relinquishing possession.

Pulling the strings in midfield, Xavi was the lynchpin in Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona team and Spain’s World Cup and two-time Euro winning squad. Having made more than 180 assists in his stellar career, Xavi is definitely one of football’s all-time greats.

In 2009, while Lionel Messi ran way with all the plaudits for his miraculous performances under Pep Guardiola, the man silently and perhaps more important to the tiki-taka style of play was Xavi. His best chance was in 2011 when he was quite simply the best midfielder and arguably the best player in the world.