Iniesta Set To Retire From Professional Football

Andres Iniesta will next week announce his retirement, aged 40, with the Barcelona and Spain legend choosing October 8 as the date of official confirmation – because of the shirt number he wore throughout his storied career.

One of the game’s finest midfielders, Iniesta has been without a club since leaving Emirates Club of the UAE when his contract expired in June.

Iniesta had recently said that he would like to continue playing but was also keen to move into coaching before “seeing what the future holds.” But in a post on Instagram he has teased his imminent decision to call time on a career that began with Barca’s B team in 2000.

He went on to make more than 400 appearances for the Catalan giants’ first team, winning 29 trophies and playing a central role in the side managed by Pep Guardiola that is widely considered the greatest of all time.

Iniesta earned nine La Liga winners’ medals at Camp Nou in addition to four UEFA Champions League titles.

Yet his greatest moment came in the Spain shirt – scoring the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final. He also won the European Championship for La Roja in 2008 and 2012.

After leaving Barca in 2018 he joined Vissel Kobe in Japan before heading to UAE for what has turned out to be his swansong.