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Ranking the 30 Ballon d’Or nominees

By Carter Mulvihill

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 nominees Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid answer media questions during the FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 nominees Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid answer media questions during the FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) /
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18. Andres Iniesta

Moenchengladbach, Germany 28.09.2016, UEFA Champions League – 2016/17 Season, Group C – Matchday 2, Borussia Moenchengladbach – FC Barcelona, 1:2, Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
Moenchengladbach, Germany 28.09.2016, UEFA Champions League – 2016/17 Season, Group C – Matchday 2, Borussia Moenchengladbach – FC Barcelona, 1:2, Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /

Few roles are harder to live up to than being captain of Barcelona, but Andres Iniesta has flourished since taking the armband from Xavi after the 2014-15 season.

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Last year, it was more of the same for Iniesta and the Spanish giants. Another La Liga title and another season of witnessing some of the most beautiful attacking football ever put on the pitch. While MSN gets most of the attention, it all starts in the deep midfield with Iniesta.

While Spain was eager to atone for its 2014 World Cup embarrassment at this summer’s Euros, it didn’t happen for La Roja as the country bowed out in the Round of 16 following a tough draw with Italy. Iniesta, though, was among the stars of the group stage, most notably with a late assist in Spain’s 1-0 opener over the Czech Republic.

This season, Iniesta was set to surpass 400 appearances for Barca, but a partial ligament tear has put him out of action for the next two months. While Barca will be able to hand the armband to Messi and find another world-class talent to put in the midfield, the Spaniard’s absence leaves a hole that simply cannot be replaced. But then again, it’s Barca. As long as Iniesta is fully fit by March, the Blaugrana will be fine.

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