Legendary Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta has revealed his top 5 favourite footballers of all time, and the list is filled with some surprising choices.
According to Iniesta, his childhood idol, Michael Laudrup, tops the list. The Danish football legend, who played for Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus, has long been admired by Iniesta.
Next on the list is Xavi, Iniesta’s former Barcelona teammate and close friend. The pair played together for over a decade, winning numerous trophies and forming one of the most dominant midfield partnerships in football history.
Iniesta also named Pep Guardiola, his former Barcelona coach, as one of his favourite players.
Another surprise inclusion on Iniesta’s list is David Silva, the Spanish midfielder who played for Manchester City and Valencia. The pair played together for Spain, winning the World Cup in 2010.
Finally, Iniesta named Santi Cazorla, the Spanish playmaker who played for Arsenal and Villarreal, as one of his favourite players.
Notably absent from Iniesta’s list are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, widely regarded as two of the greatest players of all time.
Iniesta has hailed Messi in the past as being the best player of all time, but perhaps his list is influenced by personal preference.
