FOOTBALL LEGENDS: ANDRÉS INIESTA

Andrés Iniesta is one of the most important players in the history of FC Barcelona and a true football legend. Unfortunately, at 40 years old and 22 seasons, more than 1,000 official matches and 38 titles, he is ending his sporting career.

A cartoon footballer: Refined technique, elegance and vision of the game are some of the differential aspects of a footballer who grew up with the best Barça in history alongside Messi, Xavi, Busquets, Puyol... Iniesta was the crack of impossible dribbles and the final pass.

But beyond the numbers, Iniesta played a starring role in two iconic goals that generated countless outbursts of joy and went down in the annals of the history of FC Barcelona, ​​the Spanish national team and world football: the "Iniestazo" and the goal against Holland that made Spain world champions.

1. THE INIESTAZO: A cannon shot against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, from the edge of the area, qualified Barcelona for the Champions League final in 2009

2. GOAL AGAINST HOLLAND: A year later, in the 116th minute of the World Cup final in South Africa, he repeated the ecstasy with the most significant goal of his sporting career, a goal against Holland that proclaimed Spain World Champion.

Andrés Iniesta's spectacular list of achievements:

TITLES: Iniesta has won 38 titles: 1 World Cup, 2 European Championships, 4 Champions Leagues, 3 Club World Cups, 3 European Super Cups, 9 La Ligas, 6 Copa del Reys, 7 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Japanese League, 1 Emperor's Cup and 1 Japanese Super Cup.

STATS: Iniesta has played an incredible 885 matches, scoring 93 goals and providing 61 assists at club level, and 131 matches, 14 goals and 30 assists at national team level.

GREAT MOMENTS: In his 22-year career, the midfielder has experienced many unforgettable moments, but there are three that are also part of football history: the goal against Holland that made Spain world champions, the Ballon d'Or podium alongside Xavi and Messi and the "iniestazo" against Chelsea.

Iniesta with the FC Barcelona

Iniesta was discovered in a youth tournament while playing with Albacete, attracting the attention of all scouts. He left the quiet life in the La Mancha town of Fuentealbilla to fulfill his dream of becoming a professional footballer. He was 12 years old when he arrived at La Masia del Barça.

Andrés Iniesta played 16 seasons in the first team of FC Barcelona, ​​playing 674 games, scoring 57 goals and providing 139 assists. And, together with Sergio Busquets and Xavi Hernández, he formed the best midfield in the history of Barça and, possibly, in the history of football.

In total, Iniesta won 32 titles with the Barça shirt, being the second most successful player in the history of the club, only surpassed by Leo Messi (35 titles).

• 4X UEFA Champions League: 2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11 and 2014/15
• 3X Club World Cup: 2010, 2012 and 2016
• 9X LaLiga: 2004/05, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2014/15, 2015/2016 and 2017/18
• 3X Europe Supercup: 2009/10, 2011/12 and 2015/16
• 6X Copa del Rey: 2008/09, 2011/12, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18
• 7X Spanish Supercup: 2005/06, 2006/07, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2016/17

Iniesta with the Vissel Kobe and the Emirates Club

Iniesta played six seasons in Japan. It arrived in 2018, but his main successes arrived in the last years. Besides, Iniesta played a last season in the Emirates Club of the Division 1 of the Arab Emirates Joined.

• 1X Champion of League Japan: 2023
• 1X Cup of the Emperor: 2019
• 1X Supercup Japanese: 2019

Iniesta with the Spanish Selection

Andrés Iniesta was an undisputed starter and one of the most important players in the best Spanish national team. He was also a European champion under-17 and under-19. His TOP moment came in the 116th minute of the World Cup final in South Africa, when he scored the most important goal of his sporting career, a goal against Holland that proclaimed Spain World Champion.

• 1X Champion of the World: South Africa 2010
• 2X Eurocopa: Austria and Switzerland 2008 and Poland and Ukraine 2012
• 1X Champion Sub-19 of Europe: 2002
• 1X Champion Sub-17 Europe: 2001

Individual titles and awards

Andrés Iniesta is one of the best players ever to grace FC Barcelona's La Masia and is considered one of the most brilliant midfielders in the history of football. Although he always stood out for being a team player, his incredible individual quality was also recognised with multiple awards.

Despite his numerous footballing exhibitions, Iniesta surprisingly never won the Ballon d'Or. However, in 2010, he starred alongside Leo Messi and Xavi in ​​one of the most iconic images in the history of Barcelona and the Ballon d'Or: the Barça podium of finalists.

Individual titles and awards

- FIFA Silver Ball 2010

- FIFA Bronze Ball 2012

- UEFA Best Player in Europe 2012

- Best Player at Euro 2012

- Golden Foot (Award for the Best Player over 29 years old) 2014

- Best XI at the 2010 World Cup

- Best XI at the 2013 Confederations Cup

- Best Squad at Euro 2008, 2012

- FIFA/FIFPro Team of the Year 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

- UEFA Team of the Year 2010, 2011, 2012

- UEFA Team of the Decade of the 2000s

- Best Spanish Player in La Liga (Don Balón) 2008-09

- Best Midfielder in La Liga (LFP) 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14

- Second in the Trofeo Di Stéfano-Best Player of the League 2008-09 and third 2011-12, 2012-13

- Marca Leyenda Trophy 2011

- Gold Medal for Sporting Merit (shared with the entire Spanish national team) 2011

- Prince of Asturias Award for Sport 2010 (shared with the entire Spanish national team)

- Best Spanish Sportsman of the Year (Mundo Deportivo) 2009, 2012; 2011

- Winner of the Barça Players Award, awarded by the FC Barcelona Players Association, for his fair play.