puzzle at top speed. It’ s hard to recall him misplacing one. Just as the infamous Chelsea defender Ron“ Chopper” Harris incarnated the foul, Xavi incarnates the pass.
A passer cannot do it by himself, the way a Messi or a Maradona can. Xavi needs an organized team to win. When Barcelona and Spain finally got themselves organized around him, trophies followed in a variety unprecedented in soccer’ s history. Since 2005, Xavi has won five Spanish titles and two Champions Leagues with Barcelona; and a European Championship and World Cup with Spain. He was voted best player of Euro 2008, but soccer’ s bias against the provider is such that he has never won the Ballon d’ Or for World Footballer of the Year. It doesn’ t matter. Without Xavi there is no Messi, as Messi’ s flounderings with Argentina demonstrate. Xavi incarnates the greatest teams of our day.
Number 16: Lothar Matthaus There is no trophy Lothar Matthus has not lifted at one time over his 20-year career. He first reached prominence with his second club, then-powerhouse Borussia Monchengladbach. His talents didn ' t go unnoticed, as he was