Andres Iniesta Named Man Of The Match

It was no surprise that Andres Iniesta was named Man of the Match during the final game between Spain and The Netherlands at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It was because of his second goal in the 116th minute of the match that Spain was able to break free from a tie and go on to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Iniesta orginally started as a defensive midfielder but his balance, close control and skill on the ball saw him make progress as an attacking midfielder. From that moment on he worked his way up the club ranks. Louis van Gaal gave him his debut in October of 2002 in a UEFA Champions League Game against Club Brugge. His early appearances were impressive enough for there to be calls from some sections of the Spanish press for Iniesta to replace Juan Roman Riquelme in the Barcelona first team. He appeared 11 times in the league in 2003-2004, mostly as a deputy for Camp Nou favourite Ronaldinho, scoring once as Barca sealed second place behind Valencia. After the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final, Manchester United Striker Wayne Rooney asserted that he believed the midfielder to be the best soccer player in the world.

He was called for the 2010 World Cup, and scored the second goal in a 2-1 win against Chile. For his excellent performances in helping Spain reach the final of the tournament, Iniesta was shortlisted for the Golden Ball award. After scoring the winning goal for Spain in the final match between the Netherlands, Iniesta proceeded in removing his jersey during his celebration to reveal an inscription on his undershirt reading "Dani Jarque: siempre con nosotros", which translates to "Dani Jarque: always with us," in tribute of former Spain youth teammate and RCD Espanyol captain Daniel Jarque, who passed away of a heart attack in August 2009. He won the man of the match award for his performance which sent Spain to their first ever World Cup win.