Andrés Iniesta was a midfielder of rare grace, a player who seemed to glide through crowded spaces as though the game moved slower for him. His close control, balance and understated passing made him the creative heartbeat of one of the greatest club sides ever assembled.
A product of Barcelona’s academy, he spent the bulk of his career at the club, winning a wealth of league titles and multiple Champions League crowns while forming an almost telepathic understanding with his midfield partners.
For Spain he was central to an unprecedented run of success, and he wrote his name into history by scoring the winning goal in a World Cup final. Modest and precise, Iniesta is remembered as one of the purest talents his country has produced.