Among the individual accolades Riquelme won over the course of his career was one that suited him nicely: Marca's Most Artistic Player award for the 2004-05 season.
At that point he was still on loan at Villarreal following a disastrous spell at Barcelona, and he scored 13 goals in all competitions for the Yellow Submarine.
But more than that, for the first time he mesmerised a European audience over an extended period. And they loved him for it.
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