  Barcelona's Andres Iniesta (L) of Spain receives UEFA's best player award from UEFA President Michel Platini during the draw ceremony for the 2012/2013 Champions League at Monaco's Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo August 30, 2012. (REUTERS) |
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta was named UEFA’s best player for the 2011-2012 season Thursday, narrowly beating out fellow Barca play-maker Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Spanish international needed just 19 votes to claim the award after Messi, who won the award a year ago, and Ronaldo finished with 17 votes apiece.
Other names on the shortlist included Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Iker Casillas (Barcelona) and Didier Drogba, who has since moved from Chelsea to China’s Shanghai Shenhua.
The award is voted on by journalists from each of UEFA’s associations.
