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Andres Iniesta's Euro 2012 Highlights Are Just Footballing Perfection

Andres Iniesta's Euro 2012 Highlights Are Just Footballing Perfection

Andres Iniesta was a joy to watch as Spain won Euro 2012.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Andres Iniesta's Euro 2012 highlights prove that he produced one of the finest campaigns on the international stage.

The Barcelona legend was the hero in South Africa in 2010 when he popped up with the extra time winner and then two years on, he was a joy to watch as Spain continued their dominance and retained the Euros in Poland and Ukraine.

Iniesta was named as the Player of the Tournament after completely running the show for La Roja and some nine years later, a compilation of his brilliance from @LSComps still makes for glorious viewing.

Image: PA
Image: PA

The way he carried the ball, jinking in and out of challenges like it was easy, was just Iniesta at his absolute best. Somehow he was able to find space in the tightest of pockets and then had the supreme quality to find teammates.

That midfield on the whole, with the likes of Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, David Silva and Cesc Fabregas was breathtakingly brilliant but Iniesta was the player who shone brightest in this tournament.

From the very first group game against Italy, to the 4-0 thumping against the same opponents in the final, it was unfair how good he was.

He didn't even score in any of the Spain's six games but you don't need to focus on statistics to appreciate geniuses like Andres Iniesta.

All you need to do is simply watch what he does with the ball at his feet and how everything Spain did was through him.

In 2012 his displays saw him finish third in the Ballon d'Or rankings, with his club colleague Lionel Messi scooping the award thanks to an outrageous year in which he scored 91 goals.

When he left Barca, France Football, the magazine who give out the coveted prize, apologised for failing to award him a Ballon d'Or in his career.

Image: PA
Image: PA

"Forgive us, Andres," wrote the magazine's editor Pascal Ferre in 2018.

"For us, he wasn't just a player, he was the player. His sacrifices for the team ultimately deprived him of greater individual recognition.

"Of all the absences on the list of Ballon d'Or winners, his is particularly painful."

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football, Andres Iniesta, Spain

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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