“Being on the pitch is over,” declared the 40-year-old midfielder, visibly moved, after recounting his rich career to journalists during a meeting in Barcelona.
“I can’t stay away from football, it’s my life and it will continue to be my life. Now I have to continue training, I’m getting my coaching diploma and that’s the next step. I will try to come back to do a big job, but it will not be running behind the ball, but from another place,” he continued.
Trained at La Masia, the nursery of FC Barcelona, Iniesta is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the Catalan club, symbolizing, with Xavi and Lionel Messi, the domination of Barça’s collective game at European level between 2008 and 2015.
Under the Blaugrana jersey, he won 32 trophies, including four Champions Leagues and nine Spanish Championships, while establishing himself as the key player in the success of the Spanish selection (130 caps) during the same period, raising one after another suddenly Euro-2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro-2012.
Congratulated and praised by several of his former coaches in videos released when his retirement was announced, Iniesta also received praise from his former teammate Messi, who described on Instagram “one of the most magical teammates”.
The head of government, Pedro Sánchez, also wanted to pay tribute to the player on his X account, calling him a “true legend” of world football, while emphasizing that he is a person who “will always remain” thanks to his exemplarity.
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