5 greatest Spanish midfielders of all time

#3 Luis Suarez

Not to be mistaken for the Uruguayan international, this Luis Suarez is also a Barcelona legend. Suarez was arguably the best attacking midfielder of the 1950s and 60s and won the Ballon d'Or in 1960.

Nicknamed the 'architect' for the way he controlled the proceedings with his incredible passing, he is the only Spanish player to have won the Ballon d'Or. Suarez played a pivotal role in Barcelona's successes in the late 1950s. He played as an attacking midfielder or as a wide midfielder during that time.

Suarez's exploits helped Barcelona win two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies and two Inter-Cities Fair Cup. He then moved to Inter Milan with manager Helenio Herrera and became an important part of what is called the 'Grande Inter' era (1960-67).

Suarez's performances were crucial to the Nerazzurri winning two consecutive European Cups and three Serie A titles. He was also instrumental in Spain's 1964 Euro triumph.

#2 Xavi

Xavi is one of the greatest midfielders of all time. The current Barcelona manager is a product of the famed La Masia. He rose through the ranks of the Barcelona academy and made his senior debut for them in 1998. Xavi would remain with the Catalans for 17 more years where he won almost everything he could.

He was their midfield lynchpin as Barcelona shook off their baggage from the late 90s and early 2000s to become the best football team in the world. It is hard to find a midfielder in the history of the game who understood and could manipulate space as efficiently as Xavi could.

He could upend entire defences with the drop of the shoulder. His technical ability is unsurpassed and his vision and imagination combined with his precise passing made him the most sought-after midfielder in the world.

Alongside Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta, Xavi dominated proceedings in the middle of the park for club and country. He dictated the tempo of almost every game he played and was the heart and soul of the Spanish national side and Barcelona.

In fact, Xavi and Iniesta are considered the greatest midfield duo of all time. In his illustrious career, Xavi won eight La Liga titles, four Champions League titles and 3 Copa del Reys with the Catalans. He also won two back-to-back European championships with Spain in 2008 and 2012.

Xavi was one of Spain's best players as they lifted the 2010 FIFA World Cup as well.

Expand Tweet

#1 Andreas Iniesta

The diminutive midfield magician Andres Iniesta was poetry in motion on the football pitch. No matter how many opponents you throw at him, he'd come through unscathed with the ball sticking to his feet as though it'd been taped to him.

Like Xavi, Iniesta is also a product of La Masia. He made his senior debut for Barcelona in 2002 and went on to become the most decorated Spanish player of all time, with 35 major trophies.

Iniesta started off as a defensive midfielder. But thanks to his technical brilliance and explosive pace, he was moved to a more advanced position where he thrived. Iniesta is one of the best when it comes to dribbling and passing in the history of the game.

He played a big hand in Spain's 2010 World Cup triumph, even scoring the winning goal in the final against Netherlands. Xavi and Iniesta transformed both Spain and Barcelona into forces to be reckoned with and they dominated world football for several years.

Iniesta won the 2008 and 2012 Euros with Spain. He also won nine La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles and six Copa del Reys with the Catalans. The Spaniard is still playing at the age of 37. He is currently at Japanese club Vissel Kobe and is one of the highest paid footballers in the world.

Expand Tweet