Andres Iniesta has been voted as the world’s best playmaker by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics today.
The Barcelona midfielder has been selected by the FIFA-recognised organisation as the game’s best for 2012 by a team of ‘selected editorial staff and experts from all the football continents’.
Barcelona dominated the vote, taking the top three positions, with Xavi Hernandez in second and Lionel Messi polling third.
Real Madrid’s Mesut Ozil finished fifth, behind Juventus man Andrea Pirlo in fourth, whilst Cristiano Ronaldo was voted in sixth and Spain international David Silva was placed joint seventh.
Xabi Alonso and Radamel Falcao finished in the voting in joint 12th place.
Iniesta’s win ends a run of four consecutive years at the top for Xavi, who has picked up the award from 2008 to 2011 inclusive.
The IFFHS have previously elected Jose Mourinho as best Coach of the year and Iker Casillas as best goalkeeper and ranked Messi as best international goalscorer of 2012.
