Viva Espana: Top 5 Spanish Players of the decade

Their brand of football has captivated fans and footballers alike. Fans swear by their game and coaches try to instill their style of play to their teams. Currently World Champions and Euro Cup winners, Spanish football has taken the world of football to a new level altogether. It is a country which has produced the world’s best talents and players whom we will still envy in the future.

Here, we take a look on the top five Spanish players of the decade.

Carlos Puyol

“If I was a goalkeeper I would have loved to see this Spanish man mountain in front of me. My job would have been so easy” is how football experts describe this phenomenal defender from Barcelona. Known as the “Wall of Catalunya”, Puyol is known for his no-nonsense defending and sheer brute strength couple with unbelievable anticipation. Forming a partnership with Gerard Pique in recent years has made the Spanish and Barcelona defence impenetrable. This shaggy haired defender who has led Spain and his club to their best footballing moments is our number five. Perhaps the best ever defender to have played for the La Furia Roja.

Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta

We couldn’t split them at number three. It was too hard to differentiate between two of the world’s best midfielders currently. More so when they play for the same club and country. Both of them are winners of every trophy available in World, European and Spanish football. Hence it’s not a surprise several managers have claimed, ”If in the future if there was ever a dvd for young players willing to learn the beautiful game, the first episodes would have Xavi and Iniesta”. This in itself speaks volumes of their stupendous and immaculate contribution already. Where Xavi is known as the “Pass Mater“, Iniesta is fondly termed “The master of flicks”. Both are an example of how to play the perfect passing game which has won hearts throughout the world.

Iker Casillas

The world’s best goalkeeper at the moment without a shade of doubt. The pillar of Real Madrid and Spain for the last decade makes his entry in our list at number 2. Capable of pulling out fantastic saves week in and week out, Casillas is an asset to his team. Saint Iker, as he is fondly called, is 31 now and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is the crux of the team that might be crowned World Champions again in 2014 and is handed a “Hattrick of Champions” come the Euros in 2016.

Raul Gonzalez

Perhaps the best player ever to have played for the Red Fury. A world beater in his own respect, leading goalscorer in Champions League history and one of the heroes of the Galacticos era in Real Madrid’s greatest team ever, his records speak for themselves. Not many people know Raul is the product of Atletico Madrid‘s youth academy and that he switched to cross town rivals Real Madrid because of better facilities and infrastructure. When you can score goals of the highest order, coupled with goal poacher’s abilities, there is no doubt he tops our list.

Honourable mentions:

• Sergio Ramos
• David Villa
• Xabi Alonso
• Fernando Hierro
• Fernando Torres (not judged by current form)

Alferdo Di Stefano wouldn’t have been considered as he played for three different national sides.

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