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Andres Iniesta, former Barcelona and Spain midfielder and one of the greatest players of all time, announced his retirement on Tuesday after a glittering trophy-laden career spanning 24 years.
Iniesta, now 40, was a key part of the great Barcelona and Spain teams that went on to win many laurels during late 2000s and early 2010s.
The teary-eyed midfield maestro became emotional during the farewell press conference.
“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.”
Lionel Messi shared a heartfelt message for his former Barcelona teammate, saying “One of the teammates with the most magic and one of those I enjoyed playing with the most”. The ball is going to miss you, and so will all of us…I wish you the best always. You’re a phenomenon.”
The technically-gifted Iniesta made 131 appearances for Spain, scoring the only goal of the 2010 World Cup final with a last-gasp strike to earn his country victory over the Netherlands as they lifted the global title for the first time.
He also played a key role in Spain winning the 2008 European Championship to snap a 44-year trophy drought and was named player of the tournament when they successfully defended the title in 2012.
Iniesta won nine LaLiga titles with Barca, four Champions League titles, six Copa del Rey crowns, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups, many of them alongside Xavi Hernandez, a rival for the accolade of being described as the best Spanish footballer of all time.
