Former Spain and Barcelona football great Andres Iniesta retires at 40
Al Jazeera
The playmaker called time on a sensational career that saw him lift the World Cup, Euro and Champions League trophies.
Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has announced his retirement from football after a glittering trophy-laden career spanning 24 years.
Iniesta, 40, was at the heart of the Spain and Barcelona midfield during a period of sustained success for both teams in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
“Please allow me to be a little emotional today,” a tearful Iniesta, who most recently played for Emirates Club in the United Arab Emirates, told a news 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.”
