International football Messi and Ronaldo also included
Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta are the Spaniards included in UEFA’s all-time best starting line-up.
The six players count the most appearances in Europe’s team of the year according to the European governing body, who has opened the vote to choose the best 11 players in 2018.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry also feature in the list, while Phillip Lahm and Steven Gerrard are the only players of the all-time best XI not to have played in LaLiga Santander.
Iker Casillas: six times nominated (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Iker Casillas has won the 2008 and 2012 European Championships and the 2010 World Cup with Spain.
He was chosen as the best goalkeeper three of the six times he was nominated.
Carles Puyol: six (2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010)
He won the Champions League with FC Barcelona in 2006,2009 and 2011 and is one of the most outstanding Spanish defenders.
Sergio Ramos: seven (2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
He is the most elected defender by the voters and he has been part of the all-time best XI six consecutive years.
He was part of the La Roja squad that won everything between 2008 and 2012.
Gerard Pique: five (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016)
The Barcelona player also constantly features in the best starting line-up of the year, having been voted five times in his career.
Xavi Hernandez: five (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
He was a candidate since 2005 but became an undisputed member of the year’s best XI since 2008, having been nominated every year until 2012.
Andres Iniesta: six (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016)
Essential for the conquest of the 2010 World Cup, Iniesta featured in the Team of the Year six times from 2009 to 2016.
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