Former Spain and Barcelona football great Andres Iniesta retires at 40

BARCELONA – Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta announced his retirement on Oct 8 after a glittering trophy-laden career spanning 24 years.

Iniesta, 40, was at the heart of the Spain and Barcelona midfield during a period of sustained success for both teams in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

“Please allow me to be a little emotional today,” a tearful Iniesta, who most recently played for Emirates Club in the United Arab Emirates, told a press conference.

“I never thought this day would come. I never imagined it. Yes, all these tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion, of pride. They are not tears of sadness.

“They are tears of that boy from a small town like Fuentealbilla, who had the dream of being a footballer and we achieved it after a lot of hard work, sacrifice... of never giving up, essential values in my life.

“I feel very proud of this path, with all the people who have accompanied me.”

The technically gifted Iniesta made 131 appearances for Spain, scoring the only goal of the 2010 World Cup final with a last-gasp strike to earn his country victory over the Netherlands as they lifted the title for the first time.

He also played a key role in Spain winning the 2008 European Championship to snap a 44-year trophy drought and was named Player of the Tournament when they retained the title in 2012.

Iniesta joined Barca’s La Masia youth academy at 12 and made 674 appearances for the Spanish side, captaining them for three seasons.

“You’re going to retire me, but he’s going to retire us all,” former Barcelona player and coach Pep Guardiola told a young Xavi Hernandez after watching an even younger Iniesta, just 15, at a youth tournament.

A year before becoming Spain’s World Cup final hero, Iniesta worked his magic in a Champions League semi-final against Chelsea.

His brilliant shot deep in added time secured Barca a place in the final and they went on to lift the trophy, Guardiola’s first Champions League triumph as a coach.

Iniesta won nine La Liga titles with Barca, four Champions League titles, six Spanish King’s Cup crowns, two Uefa Super Cups and three Club World Cups, many of them alongside Xavi, a rival for the accolade of being the best Spanish footballer of all time.

“Andres is the most talented player in the history of Spain – he has a spectacular amount of talent,” wrote Xavi in an open letter to Iniesta when he left Barcelona.

Former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi wrote on social media: “One of the most magical teammates and one of those who I most enjoyed playing together, Andres Iniesta, the ball will miss you and so will we! I wish you all the best, you are a phenomenon.”

Runner-up for the 2010 Ballon d’Or behind Messi, Iniesta called time on his magnificent spells with Spain and Barcelona in 2018 and moved to Japan to play for Vissel Kobe.

“I can’t stay away from football, it’s my life and will continue to be my life,” said Iniesta, the only man to be named Player of the Match in a European Championship final, World Cup final and Champions League final.

“Now I need to continue educating myself. I’m in the process of doing my coaching diploma and that’s the next step.” REUTERS, AFP