Andres Iniesta has announced his retirement from professional football after an illustrious 22-year career at the highest level.
The legendary midfielder enjoyed remarkable success during his time at Barcelona, winning four UEFA Champions League titles over a decade and a half with the club’s first team.
Iniesta also made history with the Spanish national team, clinching the 2010 FIFA World Cup – where he scored the winning goal in the final – and securing two UEFA European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
At the age of 40, the iconic playmaker officially hung up his boots in an emotional announcement on Monday.
Following his departure from Camp Nou in the summer of 2018, Iniesta went on to play for Vissel Kobe in Japan and Emirates Club in the UAE.
While there was speculation about a potential reunion with Messi and Busquets at Inter Miami, no move to MLS will materialise.
Instead, Iniesta is focused on transitioning into coaching, expressing his desire to eventually return to Catalunya in this capacity.
Iniesta has previously said: “Obviously I would like to return to Barca at some point in my life, because that’s how I feel, but I don’t know when or how to say now, nor does anyone else.
“We’ll see how things go during this time and then we’ll see where we are.”
El Juego Continúa ❤️⚽️ 8️⃣🔟2️⃣4️⃣ pic.twitter.com/YLrDOfxVCB
— Andrés Iniesta (@andresiniesta8) October 7, 2024
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