Andrés Iniesta announces retirement as a footballer

This article was last updated on October 8, 2024

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Andrés Iniesta announces retirement as a footballer with an emotional video message

Andrés Iniesta has announced his retirement as a footballer with tears in his eyes. The Spanish midfielder (40) already had no club and has now really made the decision.

In a video on his social media, some former coaches praised Iniesta.

“His character was modest. He was not physically the greatest footballer, but his brain was enormous,” says Louis van Gaal about the little Spaniard.

It is not surprising that Iniesta retired as a footballer on October 8. The number 8 has been the football icon’s jersey number for many years.

World champion at the expense of the Dutch team

As a footballer, Iniesta was known for his beautiful passing and his directing ability in midfield. The Barcelona club icon played 674 games for the Spanish top club, scoring 57 goals and providing 135 assists.

He became champion of Spain nine times and won the Champions League four times with Barcelona. With Spain he became European champion twice and world champion once.

Dutch football fans will have fewer fond memories of the Spanish midfielder, because in 2010 he scored the winning goal in extra time in the World Cup final against the Dutch team.

After his period at Barcelona, ​​Iniesta also played matches for Japanese side Vissel Kobe and Emirates Club from the United Arab Emirates.

‘The ball is going to miss you’

The midfielder has played together with big names such as Xavi, Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry, Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi in the past. The latter has paid tribute to his former co-star on his own social media.

“You were one of the most magical teammates. I really enjoyed playing with you. The ball is going to miss you and we are going to miss you too. I wish you the best, you are a phenomenon.”

His former coach Pep Guardiola also agrees that Iniesta was a phenomenon. “I remember that we once got one point from six matches. But Iniesta said we were on the right track. Then you know things are going well.”

Former Spain coach Vicente del Bosque remembers Iniesta receiving big applause in an away match against Espanyol (Barcelona’s local rival). “A standing ovation. That says a lot. People were very happy with a footballer like him.”

Great successes with Spain

Iniesta retired from international football with the Spanish team in 2018. That happened after his country was painfully eliminated by Russia in the eighth finals of the World Cup. The Russians won on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Iniesta has not yet announced anything about his future. But as his former coaches say in the farewell video: “He will not leave football.”