Isco finds himself in a rather strange situation. Listed as the 29th-best player in the world at the Ballon d'Or 2018 awards on Monday, he is also struggling to spend much time on a football pitch.
His circumstance has been sparked by the arrival of new Real Madrid manager Santiago Solari. Since Solari came up from the club's Castilla side to replace Julen Lopetegui seven matches ago, Isco has played in just 88 minutes.
Even though Isco is considered one of the best players of his generation and is a regular member of the Spain national team, there are few elite players who have had to prove themselves quite as frequently.