TKT whilst Iniesta can count himself unlucky in that aspect, Zidane did have ronaldo and Ronaldinho at their peak not forgetting Henry either and he still won awards over them.

Still, for me Zidane was the greatest until messi showed up. But I think Iniesta has definitely confirmed his place as one of best ever.

No Zidane was the greatest of all time even better that Maradonna and Messi.
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thats quite funny

Scholes at his peak was certainly right up there and deserved to rub shoulders with greats like Zidane !

Spot on, 50p.

Scholes isn't in Zidane's class. Brilliant midfielder that he was, he isn't near Zidane, in my opinion.

Scholes at his peak was certainly right up there and deserved to rub shoulders with greats like Zidane !
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thats even more funny

Scholes?vs zidane or iniesta?
Get real

For sheer technique, vision and his elegance on the ball Dejan Savicevic is right up there with the best of them.

His performance to help obliterate Cruyff's dream-team in 94 has to be seen to be believed. Not quite the name that Zidand is or Iniesta has since became but not out of their company by any means for me.

Platini was and still is the benchmark for me however. His Euro 84 performances were incredible. Everything about his game was incredible, no weaknesses. Ultimate goal machine from midfield or from cutting inside. Could pick a pass from anywhere and like Iniesta had incredible close control in tight spaces and was a great dribbler.

Not saying Scholes was better just at his peak what a great player he was. Underrated outside of OT.
Funny that Zidane himself, Xavi himself bestowed great compliments on him as did many others.

Georghi Hagi another fantastic player.. there are many over the years that people forget about. Absolute genius at times.

I'd have Cesc over Scholes in his peak.

TGM, good shout. Some of the players that weren't from the bigger nations are often overlooked from that era. TV being what it is now means people are more exposed to European leagues than back then. Boniek and Boban were two other Eastern Europeans that probably don't have the same rep that they would nowadays.

One of the best dribblers of the ball I have ever seen, he makes it look completely effortless! His close control really is something to behold, a wonderfully gifted player is Iniesta.

However, I thoroughly disagree with those who say Iniesta is better than Xavi. When it comes to controlling play and dictating the tempo of the game, Xavi is unsurpassed, he really is fantastic. His passing is unbelievable, and his technique is up there with the best. One of the most intelligent players that I've ever had the pleasure to watch as well.

Darren,

Right throughout the 80s and 90s Eastern Europe produced a conveyor-belt of talent, in particular Yugoslavia, some of whom you mention.

The Red Star team that won the European Cup played some of the most fluent, stylish football you could wish for. Sadly like Steaua a few years earlier when it got to the final they bored everyone to tears. Still on the way there they were a cut above anything that the big Western teams could offer. Savicevic and Prosinecki nowadays would be worth eye-popping amounts.

They were as you say less covered here so don't get the attention they deserved. Another quick point would be that Yugoslavia as we know in the 90s fell apart. That team potential was scary and had it stayed together and developed after Italia 90 would surely have at least reached a major final, if not won something IMO. Maybe then the big recognition would have came on a more global level.

Sunday mornings on Channel 4 withstanding.

Said it a million times, infesta and Xavi make messi look better than he is

If I had a choice between messi and infesta then iniesta would win every time, along with Xavi

The only player I have watched who is like iniesta and Xavi is Paul scholes who for me was a hybrid of the pair of them

Prosinecki! One of the best dribblers I've ever seen.

I agree that Yugoslavia could have been really special. Add Mijatovic and Suker to that list. There's probably plenty more I cannot think of off the top of my head.

Shame they're not producing the same pool of talent in Eastern Europe.

I seem to have made a article for fellow Yogoslavs in the past. I don't remember making it but I remember posting it just now, which is important.


http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewArticle/44786

Darko Pancev was some player too for Red Star

Pavel nedved was brilliant

Elegant he may be, but in terms of effectiveness on the pitch? There are many other players I would rather have than Iniesta. There are long periods of the game where Iniesta may look like a gazelle on weed, slaloming past a few players, but it rarely gets him or the team anywhere.

Put him in an advancd position if you want him to be effective, which he can be, no doubt

Scholes at his peak was certainly right up there and deserved to rub shoulders with greats like Zidane !

Jesus

Iniesta is key component in the best club side and the best international side every seen. He should be winning the Balon d'or, but people remember who scores the goals, not who puts them on a plate.

The amount of ground Iniesta covers in amazing. That turn he does to suddenly quicken the game is unstoppable.

definitely my favourite player in the world just now.

Iniesta is sublime, an absolute joy to watch.

Scholes was a good player iniesta is a great world class player.

Iniesta is total class.....

IMO better than Zidane.

Both are much better than Scholes.

Sheriff, not gonna establish comparisons with Iniesta, but having watched Zidane week in, week out for Madrid, he was an absolute joy to watch. His ball control skills were out of this world, would make even the dullest 0-0 draw worth watching.

iniesta is amazingly gracefull when dribbling the ball but the best i ever saw was roberto baggio, one of my earliest memories in football is of him scoring his mazy dribbling goal at italia 90, what a player