There are few midfielders to ever ply their trade that can rival the talent, exploits and accolades of former Barcelona man Andres Iniesta – and he had zero doubts over the one Premier League legend that he wished he had the pleasure of playing alongside.
A memorable figure of the Spanish juggernaut’s days of unparalleled glory, the seamless partnership he struck with fellow countryman Xavi was second to none – and the pair struck the same chord on 486 different occasions between 2002/03 and 2014/15.
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Xavi aside, Iniesta – who is widely considered to be one of the greatest midfielders of the 1990s – formed La Blaugrana engine rooms with the likes of Sergio Busquets, Javier Mascherano and Cesc Fabregas during his 674-outing stay at the club.
Iniesta Waxed Poetic About Premier League Legend
‘He’s a player I’d like to have in my team for many years’
But in terms of Premier League players whom he wished had joined Barcelona while he was on their books, Iniesta had the highest praise for one midfielder in particular when speaking to RMC Sport in 2018 while playing for Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe.
Although he never crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Spain to England, Iniesta still did his homework on the talent that England’s top division has had to offer over the years – and he waxed poetic about ex-Chelsea man N’Golo Kante. He said:
He’s a player I’d like to have in my team for many years. He’s not going to come to Japan, but he’s definitely a player I love because of the work he does on the field and the confidence he has in his game. His mastery makes him the centrepiece of Chelsea and the France national team.
In terms of meetings between the pair, they've locked horns just three times between March 2017 and March 2018. Firstly, on the international stage, Iniesta's Spain won 2-0 against Kante's France and then for Barcelona and Chelsea, respectively.
Iniesta vs Kante - Career Meetings
Competition
International friendly
Champions League
Champions League
Kante, who now earns his corn in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ittihad, was central to Chelsea’s success in the late 2010s and early 2020s, which included a Premier League title and an unlikely Champions League crown against the showpiece favourites, Manchester City.
Andres Iniesta N'Golo Kante
But before the Frenchman was enticed by the allure of the Saudi Pro League’s influx of cash, he was renowned as one of the hardest-working players on European soil – and Chelsea were the primary beneficiaries of his well-rounded toolkit.
Before heading to the west of the capital, the Paris-born enforcer – a player widely recognised one of the best defensive midfielders in football history – was overwhelmingly instrumental in Leicester City’s infamous Premier League win in 2015/16.
On the international stage, Kante is a 64-cap France international. He broke his duck in March 2016 as a seasoned 24-year-old and starred for Les Bleus at the 2018 World Cup when Didier Deschamps’ men reigned victorious on Russian soil.
All statistics per Transfermarkt - correct as of 18/03/25