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No. 3 Andres Iniesta, Barcelona/Spain
Why he's ranked: Iniesta seems to have been weaving his magic for as long as most observers can remember, but he will have just tipped into the 30-something category when he plays in this World Cup and his reservoirs of brilliance are still overflowing. There is nothing that this Barcelona and Spain midfield maestro hasn't won, but that doesn't dilute his desire for even more glory this summer.
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Key stat: Had the most successful take-ons (22) of any player at last year's FIFA Confederations Cup.
What the experts say: "Pep Guardiola said that his attitude, his behaviour, his ability pretty much made Iniesta his favourite player while at the Camp Nou. There is only one Iniesta, he added. Del Bosque said [that] you can ask him to do anything on the pitch; he's the perfect player." -- Graham Hunter
Other articles:
- ESPN FC Blogs: Spain
- The countdown: Our top 50 players of the World Cup
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