World Cup 2018: Best XI of players aged 30+

#6 Central Midfield: Andrés Iniesta - 34 years old

Andres Iniesta

Many football fans were left shell-shocked when Iniesta announced that he will leave FC Barcelona at the end of the recent season. The Spaniard is now a part of the Japanese club Vissel Kobe, joining on a three-year deal.

In 2010, it was Iniesta who inspired the Spanish national team to their maiden World Cup triumph by scoring the winning goal against the Netherlands in the final. This season too, unhindered by his age, the 34-year-old was seen running rings around the opposition.

Iniesta featured in 44 matches for La Blaugrana across all competitions. In La Liga, he scored one goal this season, creating 16 chances and providing one assist whilst also completing 1087 passes with a pass accuracy of 88%, of which 71% were forward passes.

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#7 Central Midfield: Luka Modrić - 32 years old

Luka Modric

Luka Modric is the unsung hero of Real Madrid. The Croatian international is one of the main reasons for Real Madrid's astounding success in the UEFA Champions League over the years.

In hindsight, it is surprising as well as hilarious that the phenomenal Croat was named as the worst signing for Los Blancos at the end of his debut season. However, he has silenced his critics since then with admirable performances.

Modric will be a key player in Croatia's World Cup run, controlling the entire game from the middle of the pitch.