I won't fight who had the better team, that's like starting the Vietnam war against you.
But you do know that Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol existed before 2009 and their trophy cabinet was abyssmal, right?.
Xavi from 98 to 08: 10 seasons, 3 La Liga titles, 1 UCL.
Xavi from 09 to 15: 7 seasons, 5 La Liga titles, 3 UCL, 3 Spanish Cups.
Puyol 99 to 08: 9 seasons, 2 La Liga, 1 UCL.
Puyol 08 to 14: 6 seasons, 4 La Liga, 2 UCL, 2 Cups.
Iniesta 02 to 08: 6 seasons, 2 La Liga, 1 UCL.
Iniesta 08 to 18: 10 seasons, 7 La Liga, 3 UCL, 6 Cups.
You don't see an increase in their silverware since a certain someone became the star, right?
And an extra point, to add perspective
Ramos, Casillas, Xabi Alonso, Varane, Modric, Kroos, Khedira were winning the Champions League with Ronaldo and fecking off in the summer to dominate international football as they pleased. Bravo, Valdes, Pedro, Villa, Rafinha, Thiago, Bojan, Tello, Fabregas, Alexis without Messi get one humiliation after the other.
Spanish has been nothing but horrid in big tournaments since 2012, we're in
2019, two world cups and an Euro have passed since then and Pique, Busquets, Iniesta and Alba have done nothing.
2018 WC dream team: Marcelo, Varane, Modric vs... Coutinho
2014 WC dream team: Marcelo, Kroos, James, Di Maria vs... Neymar
2016 EC TOTT: Pepe and Kroos vs... no one.
Yup, use that logic more, please