Andres Iniesta, one of the greatest midfielders the sport has seen, has bid farewell to the beautiful game. On his social media, Iniesta posted an emotional video with the caption ‘El Juego Continua [The Game Continues]’. He was in tears when asked what football meant to him, and there were also clips of coaches like Luis Enrique, Louis Van Gaal and Pep Guardiola sharing their views on the midfield maestro.
Iniesta, now 40 and playing in the UAE Pro League for Emirates FC, had one of the greatest careers a footballer could dream of, winning a World Cup, two European Championships, four UEFA Champions Leagues, nine La Liga titles and multiple other trophies.
Started his career in the Albaceteyouth system, Iniesta joined Barcelona’s La Masia in 1996 and rose through the ranks with Barcelona B to the senior team in 2002.He continued there till 2018, joining as a kid and leaving as a legend. During his time at Barcelona, he was one of the most decorated midfielders of the generation, both for club and country.
He debuted for the Spanish national side in 2006 and was instrumental in Spain winning the 2008 Euros, playing every game and being selected in the Team of the Tournament. Two years later, in South Africa, his performance in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, alongside his midfield partners, Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets, will always be one of the most picturesque displays of football for the fans of this generation.
His celebration, taking off his jersey after scoring the winner in the 2010 World Cup final against The Netherlands, will always be etched in memory. ‘Dani Jarque Siempre Con Nosotros (Dani Jarque always with us)’was the message written on his inner vest – and it became one of the most iconic moments in world football. He came runner-up to his Barcelona teammate, Lionel Messi, in the 2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or voting. Two years later, he again guided Spain to another Euro title and was the man of the match in the final against Italy.
He is regarded as one of the most instrumental players, alongside Messi and Xavi, as Barcelona enjoyed their most glorious years. He made 442 appearances for the Catalonian side, scoring 35 times and providing hundreds of assists, but his greatness on the pitch can’t be described in numbers alone.
Iniesta left Barcelona in 2018 and joined J1 League side Vissel Kobe. With Kobe, he won the league, Emperor’s Cup and Japanese Super Cup between 2018 and 2023. His final season was with Emirates FC in the United Arab Emirates, where he played around 20 matches.
Iniesta will go down in history books as one of the most decorated midfielders ever to play the game. Had it not been Messi’s brilliance, he would have had a Ballon d’Or to his name for his performances in 2010. Now that he decided to hang up his boots, fans would want to go back to YouTube and enjoy some of his breathtaking dribbles and pinpoint, defence-penetrating through balls to relive the greatness of the man.
“One of the teammates with the most magic and one of the ones I enjoyed playing with the most,”Messi wrote in an Instagram story. “The ball will miss you, and so will all of us. Wish you all the best always; you are a phenomenon.”
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