Spain And Barcelona Great Iniesta Retires From Football At Age 40
Spain and Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has announced his retirement from football at the age of 40.
Iniesta most recently played for the Emirates Club in the UAE.
He left Barcelona for Japanese side Vissel Kobe in 2018 after spending 22-years of his career at the Camp Nou.
Iniesta won nine La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies among numerous other honours with the Blaugrana.
Iniesta was capped 131 times by the Spanish national team, winning EURO 2008 and 2012 as well as scoring the winning goal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final against the Netherlands.
"Please allow me to be a little emotional today..." a tearful Iniesta said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"I never thought this day would come. I never imagined it. Yes, all these tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion, of pride. They are not tears of sadness.
"They are tears of that boy from a small town like Fuentealbilla, who had the dream of being a footballer and we achieved it after a lot of hard work, sacrifice... of never giving up, essential values in my life. I feel very proud of this path, with all the people who have accompanied me."
