It seems that many people, especially media makes it seem like the choice is between Messi and Ronaldo, but after watching most of the CL knockout stage games and the final, the answer is pretty clear. Neither Messi or Ronaldo stole the show, but instead it was Iniesta. More people are voicing what is pretty obvious. Even players like Eto and Rooney recently remarked that Iniesta is the best in the world right now. This versatile midfielder can play many positions and carry the team on his shoulders. Most people talk about bad officiating in Barca/Chelsea second leg, but what I also saw was Iniesta taking over Henry's position and threatening Chelsea all day while the entire Barca team struggled. Messi, while a fantastic striker, could not make an impact in that game. It was quite dramatic to see Iniesta score the game winner in the last minute. Then he goes to shred the ManU defense to provide the assist to Eto which turned the game around completely. Yes Messi did score a header, and Eto's goal was spectacular, but Iniesta and Xavi were the men of the match. As a casual fan of the game, I say Iniesta is the best at this moment. Ronaldo, what can I say. He showed the world that he is really good at taking Puyol down. I doubt he will get the vote after a miserable day in the CL finals.
Iniesta is becoming the popular "thinking man's" choice by people who wish to appear more knowledgeable on the game of football than they really are. yes he is an amazing footballer, yes he was probably the best player on the pitch on Wednesday, but that's not the same as being a better player than Messi. he isn't
Ever since the famous Barca vs Bayern match Iniesta has been a better player than Messi , if you would have watched every single match from then you would have known it was Iniesta who singlehandedly won Barca crucial matches to win La Liga , it was Iniesta who scored a goal that led Barca to the final and it was Iniesta who with Xavi was the best player in the final , so yes based on performances Iniesta has been better than Messi since then.
So because he has been better than Messi for two months, he is now a better player? Messi has been better than Iniesta for his entire career and was much better this year overall. Iniesta has been awesome recently and if he keeps his performances like this up until the end of the year whilst Messi's stay at this level then fine; Iniesta is better. If not, it's Messi's title.
Best Player of the year- Messi Best player of the last 2 months- Iniesta I think everyone can agree on that
If someone performs better than someone for a period of time he is obviusly "better" in that time , your starting to be like Teso who thinks someone that played 1 year of good football is better than someone who can play 9 years after that better than that person yet he is not better because the other player is simply not in form... thats completely ridicilous. If someone performs better on a certain match he is better , he was the player of the match , the best player in the field right? Then how exactly in your mind is wrong to assume that if someone plays better soccer and performs better than someone for 2 months has not been the better player in those 2 months? How exactly do you explain this?
Well, some of that does have to do with fatigue. Messi had been playing all season and had been looking pretty sluggish lately (something to improve on there), while Iniesta was much more fresh (I think I killed the English language there) due to the injury he had around midseason. I do agree Andres has played better as of late, but it's simply foolish to say X > Y based on 2 months.
It's all Xavi. He's so consistent and so spot on ... his brilliance is such that people don't even recognize what he does. He's that good. No flashiness. Just pure technical know-how.
foolishness. without Messi Barca are a second tier team. Iniesta quickly going from underrated to overrated. He didn't have to deal with 3 defenders sticking on him for the past year.
My 2 cents: I have been speaking of this kid since 2005 when he was pretty much a nobody substitute and claimed he would be among the best. I've followed him pretty closely including with the national team (and not just euros). I would safely put him in the top three. He is still behind Messi but not by much. Him and xavi are too close to call for second. The next tier is always changing, players 4-8 are in no order because each when on form can occupy that fourth spot. 1. Messi 2. Xavi (tie) ....Iniesta 4-8 (in no particular order): Ribery, Ibra, Robben, Ronaldo, Kaka Here's an interesting article on Iniesta. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/...-champions-league-barcelona-manchester-united Guardiola told the team "Remember this day – the day you first played with Andrés." Pulling Xavi Hernández aside he said: "You're going to retire me. This lad is going to retire us all."
Obviously Iniesta has been the better player over two months. I suggested as much in my post. That doesn't make him a better player overall though.
People don't recognise what he does, and yet he consitantly appears in treads like this in fourms around the world, gets showered with accolades by his peers and experts and was even voted 5th best player in the world last year. Strange that.
Ronaldo is certainly in the top tier. He's an annoying player but he was more dangerous in the final than any of Messi, Xavi, or Iniesta on their own. As for Xavi and Iniesta on their own they are good but not in the top 5. Together they are the best dou in the world. If you take either Xavi or Iniesta off, the other player becomes exponentialy weaker. Top 2 is still Messi/Ronaldo This said a love Iniesta and Xavi. They both play the game the way it should be played.
La Liga was won over the course of 9 months, not two months. The Madrid match in May was pretty big but I don't know how you deduced that Iniesta won that match "singlehandedly". Apart from that game there were no crucial domestic matches over the past two months apart from the the Copa del Rey final which Iniesta didn't play in. Iniesta was their best player over the past 2 CL matches. No more. Lets not get crazy here...
At least watch every match before you comment such a ridicilous thing , if you would have watched the La Liga matches you would note that Iniesta was MOTM or 2nd best player in pretty much all 6 or 7 matches towards the end with the exeption of two and yes one of them is precicely the madrid match where you for some reason put him on as his very strong performance , you obviusly failed to watch any of those matches. And what exactly did Ronaldo do ? He shot a few shots that went wide and were non threatening at all and thats it except for his free kick , even I can shot all match long and do nothing and then im called beeing dangerous?
Fail. He didn't even play in 3 of those league matches. Missed the cup final too. I didn't say Iniesta was very strong in the Madrid match. I said it was a big game for Barca but Iniesta was nothing special. Agreed. Ronaldo was dangerous for 10 minutes, then was useless.