Juan Mata Names The Best Player He Has Played With
Reuters / Jason Cairnduff
Spanish midfielder Juan Mata has reportedly labelled Andres Iniesta as the best footballer he has played with.
The 29-year-old has operated alongside many world-class players for the Spanish national team, as well as clubs like Valencia, Chelsea and Manchester United. Nevertheless, he was able to pin down Andres Iniesta as the best footballer he has played with, making it almost impossible for anyone to argue with the choice of the Spanish international.
The La Masia graduate, who maintains great versatility, work ethic and inventiveness, had staked a claim on a first-team place at Barcelona at the age of 18. He is a playmaker who relies on exceptional creative passing and intuition to control the midfield, and dictate the ebb and flow of play.
During his maturation as a player, the 33-year-old has earned a reputation for playing a part in important goals for club and country, making him one of the best players of his generation easily, and perhaps the best Spanish footballer ever.
Reuters / Paul Hanna
According to Guardian, Mata compares Iniesta with the likes of Zinedine Zidane, with whom he trained for Real Madrid when he was a young player in the club’s reserve team.
The United No. 8 said: “If I consider the best footballer I played with, I look at someone that was not particularly quick, strong or tall. Iniesta. When we played for Spain he always passes the ball to you in the right moment. He always makes you better.
“It was the same with Zidane. His individual qualities were incredible. When I was in Real Madrid reserves I used to train with Zidane, Ronaldo, Beckham, Raul. All great players, but Zidane made everyone look better.”
Further, he described the qualities a football player should hold, by adding: “For me, good football is not about how many skills you show or how many players you beat, it’s about making the right decision every time you have the ball. I see players that make 100% right decisions – Iniesta and Xavi – but there are also good English examples.
“Scholes, Lampard and Gerrard made many more right decisions than wrong decisions. You see so many players with physical qualities. They are quick and strong but they don’t make the right decisions. So for me, the most important thing is to do what the game asks from you in the moment.”
Written by Hritwik NE 
Passionate writer, coated in Blue.