Andrés Iniesta, the modest genius
What a privilege it was to see Andrés Iniesta in an FC Barcelona shirt for so many years. The legendary number '8' from the best Barça team in history has officially announced his retirement from professional football, putting into perspective his place as one of the best players ever in the history of the game and one who won all there is to win as a blaugrana.
An elegant adios
Iniesta has brought his career to a close at the age of 40 and he has done so in much the same way he played the game: with elegance and a minimum of fuss. The man from Fuentealbilla near Albacete left Barça in 2018 after a 22 year spell at the Club, 16 of which as a first team member.
A man who led by actions rather than world, his talent coincided with a golden generation of players which helped him won 32 trophies as a blaugrana, winning plaudits and affection for his exploits on and off the field.
A much loved figure
Following his departure from Barça, the midfielder continued his footballing career further afield. His first stop was in Japan where he spent five years with Vissel Kobe before spending his final season with the Emirates Club in the UAE. Now, his footballing career behind him, he can look back on a life in football starting from the day he arrived at La Masia on 16 September 1996 aged just 12.
Once settled into life at La Masia and in Barcelona, the midfield soon showed what a brilliant future lay ahead of him. On 29 October 2002 he made his first team debut under coach Louis van Gaal in a Champions League game way from home against Club Brugge in Belgium. That was the first of 674 appearances he would make for Barça, winning 32 titles and creating unforgettable moments in the Club's history along the way, his goal against Chelsea in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge probably the most famous.
Impressive honours
With Barça Iniesta won no less than 9 La Liga titles, 6 Copas del Rey, 4 Champions Leagues, 7 Spanish Super Cups, 3 European Super Cups and 3 World Club Cups. For Spain he was a key part of the squads that won two European Championships and a World Cup as well as winning a league title, a Japanese Cup and a Japanese Super Cup with Vissel Kobe. Moreover, there have been countless individual awards that always seemed of secondary importance to man who will be remembered as a modest genius.