Andrés Iniesta

Andrés Iniesta Luján (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈdɾes iˈnjesta luˈxan], born 11 May 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for FC Barcelona and the Spain national team. Iniesta came through La Masia, the Barcelona youth academy, after an early emigration from his birthplace, and impressed from an early age. He made his first-team debut in 2002, aged 18. He began playing regularly during the 2004–05 season and has remained in the side ever since. He was an integral part of the Barcelona side in 2009, the only time a club has achieved six titles in one season. He is considered to be one of the greatest midfielders of all time, as well as one of the best footballers of his generation. Iniesta won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award in 2012, and was also chosen as the Best Player of the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League. He was runner-up to Lionel Messi for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or and achieved third place in 2012. He was named by IFFHS as the World's Best Playmaker in 2012 and 2013, and won the La Liga Spanish Player of the Year award in 2009. Iniesta has been chosen in the UEFA Team of the Year four times (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), and has been voted into the FIFA World XI on five occasions: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. In recognition of his outstanding performances with club and country, as well as his individual and team achievements, Iniesta received the Marca Legend Award in 2011.