CRM Andres Iniesta, Barcelona
Iniesta was tied with FC Porto’s Hector Herrera and teammate Messi with five assists, but Iniesta also played less minutes than those two over the course of the tournament. The Spanish legend is simply magical on the ball, and there are times when you just feel like he has the defense by the throat and is ready to unleash the killer pass. Iniesta’s understanding of the game and incisiveness in midfield is just on a different planet, and we saw his running and timing at its finest in the lead-up to Barca’s fourth-minute goal against Juventus in the final.
He’s such a phenomenal player, and Iniesta is an orchestrator in the middle of the pitch who also has the skill to make something happen. He creates chances at an incredibly high rate, and that earns him a spot on this squad despite the fact that there are so many others who are also deserving of a place.
Next: Who to pick?