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Juan Mata names the best footballer he has played with

Juan Mata has been fortunate enough to play with some pretty incredible footballers in his stint with Real Madrid Academy.

Juan Mata names the best footballer he has played with

New Delhi, Oct 17: Having born in a country like Spain where many top footballing personalities have to fight hard for their place, Juan Mata has been fortunate enough to play with some pretty incredible footballers in his stint with Real Madrid Academy, Valencia in La Liga and in Spanish national team as well as in Chelsea and currently in Manchester United in England.

And while talking about the best player with whom he has played alongside, the 29-year-old has named veteran Barcelona midfielder Andreas Iniesta as his clear choice.

Inistea who has been at Barcelona since 1996 won eight La Liga titles as well four Champions League winners medals with them and also helped Spain to win two back to back major trophies, World Cup and Euro Cup.

Mata and Iniesta played collectively for Spain in the past and won the World Cup in 2010 together and now in an interview with the Guardian, the Spanish playmaker picked the 33-year-old above all the other huge names he’s played alongside.

"If I consider the best footballer I played with, I look at someone that was not particularly quick, strong or tall. Iniesta," the Manchester United midfielder said.

Mata was an academy product of Real Madrid B team and trained alongside with the Los Blancos Galacticos squad that had players like Zidane, Figo, Raul, Beckham etc. However, after watching and training alongside such remarkable players during his career, Mata also suggested that just like Iniesta, French midfielder Zidane also owned the same capabilities.

"When we played for Spain he (Iniesta) 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, Raúl. All great players but Zidane made everyone look better.”

Mata also talked about the qualities a football player and claimed that rather than skills, a talented footballer should know to make the right decision and insisted players like Xavi, Iniesta, Gerrard, Scholes and Lampard all used to hold the exact quality.

He added: “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.”

Story first published: Tuesday, October 17, 2017, 11:57 [IST]
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