Last Tuesday’s day had a more than deserved protagonist. Andres Iniesta He announced that he was retiring at the age of 40 in a massive event where he announced that he was putting an end to a dazzling career after 22 years. The former footballer and Barça legend had a day full of emotions, which ended with an extensive interview in El Partidazo de Cope in which he reviewed his entire career and the reasons for his goodbye.
The one from Fuentealbilla started by highlighting that it was a very tiring 24 hours: “Emotionally exhausted, it has been days with a lot of emotions, messages… and in the end the moment of this morning, you never imagine it could come. When you think it’s over “The movie that was comes to you, and it was beautiful.”
After finishing his time as a culé, the man from La Mancha went through Kobe wears and the Emirates Clubeven though he could still have continued playing in Barcelona: “I felt that the time to leave was now and that the Andrés Iniesta who was going to come, in my feeling, was not going to be able to give what he had always given to that club I’m leaving happy to leave the way I left. I always had it in my head. I’m leaving in the Cup final against Sevilla and that memory is the best thing I can hear in my head, it’s a dream come true I would have left otherwise. difficult to accept after what I had experienced.
Author of very important goals, the one that gave Spain the first star and the ‘Iniestazo’ in London, the legend added another nominee to the podium: “There are two at the Bernabéu that are cool. The first goal I scored with the national team in Stamford with Luis Aragonés. Another one in Belgium that we won wearing yellow, I get between two, I make the croquette and I score.”
After having been coached by great coaches, the former midfielder cannot stay with just one coach: “I am not saying any name so as not to say another. If I had it clear, I would say it. Of all the coaches I have had, they have all been important and I have learned from everyone. Van Gaal opened the door for me to debut, the time of Guardiolathat of Rijkaard It was also… I have tried to learn from everything; of Luis Enrique, Valverdeof the national team… it’s hard for me”.
He also lived in one of the eras where rivalry Barça – Madrid was hotter than ever: “We laughed but it wasn’t for laughs. Many of us at that time were in the national team. I don’t like talking about it. There was a difficult time for the national team because of coexistence. It wasn’t pleasant to go because there was no a climate of normality in the national team. I don’t know if it was fixed before Euro 2012 but it was a common sense thing, we were going crazy but in the end everything turned out well.
The most important goal in the history of Spain was scored by him, but he really believes that there was something more: “I have said that I really feel that that moment was not a physical plane, it was something more. I have the feeling that that moment had everything.” for that ball to go in, from the energy that each of us could have had to Dani Jarque from wherever he was. I firmly believe it when I say that I hear the silence, it is like an experience…a strange and extraordinary feeling at the same time.
He finished with a quick test and gave three names of players he would like to have on his team:
Where is the Las Moreras football field?: In Fuentealbilla.
Who did you beat in the last game with Barça?: To the Royal
Where is Iniesta?: Cuenca
How many games did you play with Barcelona since B?: I don’t know… (886)
Goals?: I don’t like statistics (93)
Who are Maccabeus, Bobal and Gratian?: Our grapes
As a coach, choose three current footballers for your team: Pedri, Ter Stegen and Ansu Fati
Choose a coach for your team as a sports director: The future Andrés Iniesta
Sushi or porridge?: Gruel
Sun allergy?: No, that I know of
Sushi, porridge or hummus?: Sushi
Do you hold a grudge against San Mamés?: No, it’s something I would love to do differently.
Who had the best bar in Fuentealbilla: Our family
Your worst defect: Impatience, being stubborn
You change the World Cup goal for…: For the health of my people
Who said that ‘the ball is going to miss you and so will we’?: (Messi) I haven’t had time to look at my cell phone.
Denzel Washington’s best movie?: He is my favorite actor, Fire of Vengeance
Albacete’s top scorer: Jose Luis Salazar
Best actor in ‘Who Framed Bambi’?: Another one, I only made a cameo
Who gave you the most brutal kick?: There have been big ones, I don’t know. I remember an under 16 championship against Germany that they kicked me and I had to leave the championship
From Morena or Juanma?: Where is José Ramón…..