Andrés Iniesta, who scored Spain's World Cup-winning goal in 2010 and was one of the key players who made Barcelona's tiki-taka thrive for so long, announced his retirement from soccer on Tuesday.
The 40-year-old Iniesta ended a 22-year career that also included two European Championship titles and four Champions Leagues trophies.
“I never expected that this day would come, I never imagined it,” an emotional Iniesta said at a ceremony in Barcelona. "But all the tears from the last few days are tears of emotion, or pride, they are not tears of sadness. They are tears of this kid who had the dream of being a soccer player and who succeeded after a lot of hard work, effort and sacrifice.”
Since leaving Barcelona in 2018, he had been playing with Vissel Kobe in Japan, and for the last year with club Emirates in the UAE Pro League.
Iniesta made his first-team debut with Barcelona in 2002, and appeared 674 times.
Known for his unique ball control and above-average playmaking ability, Iniesta helped anchor a Barcelona midfield that also included Xavi Hernández and Sergio Busquets — in addition to Lionel Messi in attack — in a squad that thrived for many years with an enchanting and effective ball-possession style that became known as the tiki-taka.
Iniesta won nine Spanish leagues with the Catalan club, as well as six Copa del Reys.
“One of the most magical teammates, and one of those I enjoyed playing with the most,” Messi said of Iniesta on Instagram. “The ball is going to miss you, and so will all of us. I wish you the best always, you’re a phenomenon.”
Iniesta also helped Spain dominate world soccer by sweeping up the 2008 and 2012 Euros and the 2010 World Cup, where he scored the extra-time winner with a right-footed shot from inside the area.
Iniesta was accompanied by his family in Barcelona. Also in attendance were Barcelona officials and members of the current squad including coach Hansi Flick.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press