Now, it is finally official that Andrés Iniesta is retiring as a professional footballer. Although the decision had already been announced, an emotional event was still pending where the Fuentealbilla native would have contact with the press, following a public address to discuss various topics surrounding his farewell.
The event, which took place at the America's Cup Experience building in the port area of Barcelona, began with a visibly emotional Andrés Iniesta taking the floor. He thanked everyone present for accompanying him on this day, speaking about the feelings experienced when taking this important step in his career. He also briefly recounted his beginnings in Fuentealbilla, the importance of his family in his personal growth, and his arrival at La Masia.
The '8' did not hesitate to highlight the significance of La Masia in the development of his professional career. "La Masia was the right place to enhance the values one must have in life. It is a stage of my life that marked my life, our lives, and coming to Barça was a dream. I focused to achieve it. For a 12-year-old child, coming to Barcelona, what that meant, being alone, I couldn't deviate my focus," he commented.
In that vein, the manchego took the opportunity to fondly recall the day he received the call that officially made him part of the FC Barcelona first team. "I can't forget the day Carlos Naval called La Masia and asked for me, as Lorenzo wanted me to come up to train with the First Team. That will always stay in my head. Seeing the Camp Nou from 'La Masía' so many days and nights, and the opportunity later to have been with those players: Xavi, 'Puyi', Piqué... I remember Luis Enrique, who assisted me for the first goal, later became our coach, and we achieved many things," he pointed out.
Debut at FC Barcelona and his trajectory in the Spanish national team
Iniesta also spoke about his coaches and his debut in the Catalan team, emphasizing the importance of Louis van Gaal, the first coach who gave him the opportunity to debut in the club. "I have always said that all coaches, in their time, in their era, have had a different influence on me. I don't want to forget Louis van Gaal, who gave me the opportunity, pushed me forward to start building everything that has been built. It wasn't an easy moment, and I thank him for his courage," he emphasized.
Furthermore, Andrés reminisced about his career in the Spanish national team, where he is one of the most prominent players, accumulating 14 goals and 30 assists in 131 matches. Additionally, he was part of the generation that won two European Championships (2008 and 2012) and a World Cup (2010). "It starts at 15, those training afternoons, those tournaments. The National Team is another level. You are chosen among thousands of players. And I have had the privilege of being in what is still the best era of the National Team, achieving those 2 Euros, that World Cup. A special mention to Luis Aragonés, to Vicente Del Bosque, and to Lopetegui for the affection they have shown me," he added.
Moreover, the former Barça player didn't miss the chance to talk about his legendary goal in the final of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and what it meant for 'La Roja'. "We all scored that goal in the World Cup. Fans and players scored that goal. I was there to do it, but the magic of everyone made it possible. The magic of Dani Jarque, wherever he could see us from, also helped us. It was an honor and a privilege to be in this glorious era for our country," he clarified.
The decision to leave FC Barcelona to go to Japan
The historic Barça midfielder also explained the reasons that led him to leave FC Barcelona in 2018 to go to Japan, to Vissel Kobe. "In 2018, I made one of the most difficult decisions, which was leaving Barça to go to Japan. And now I can say that the experience was wonderful. There I had the opportunity to help and build a beautiful story," he emphasized.
"Nothing to do with what Vissel Kobe was back then and now. On a family level, it has been the most beautiful experience we have lived. With Ana, the kids... Japan welcomed us in an incredible way, like at home. And we felt it as such."
His football career and what the future holds for him after retirement
The manchego, upon finishing his career as a professional athlete, expressed his satisfaction with his achievements, both in good times and in difficult ones. "If there is one word that can sum up this moment and my career, it is pride. Proud to have fought and worked until the last drop, until the last day I was a footballer. The rest is history, titles, defeats, bad moments that we all have to go through, but the pride and never giving up in any situation is what makes me very happy today. With regret, because I would have liked to play until 90 years old, but happy to have fulfilled my dream of being a footballer," he indicated.
Regarding his professional future after retirement, although he mentioned projects and even the option of studying to become a coach, Iniesta did not delve too much into his plans. "Football has been my life, it will continue to be. The construction of what will be 'the day after' has been happening step by step. For a while now, we have been working on different projects, with Joel, the company. I need to learn, I need to make mistakes, train in the projects of the clubs we have, in the academies. I am already starting the coaching course, and I want to train in this stage this way," he informed.
The topics addressed by Andrés Iniesta in the press conference
At the beginning of the press conference, as expected, Iniesta was quickly questioned about his trajectory at FC Barcelona. Specifically, he was asked what his happiest memory as a Culé was. "My happiest memory is the day I debuted. Two moments, the day I debuted in Bruges, and the day I debuted at the Stadium against Recreativo," he mentioned.
Likewise, considering his interest in venturing into coaching, he was also questioned about whether he saw himself returning to Barça in that role in the future. "I hope the coach can be here for many years, it would be a great sign for the club. I haven't even attended the first class, from here until I have the title... But the intention is to be able to have it, yes," he warned.
Similarly, the manchego was also questioned about the reason for his retirement and was asked to provide more details about his immediate plans to remain linked to the world of football. "I would have continued playing because in ten years I would still have that feeling that I could play, but it's not a matter of doing it for a while. It's what wearing a football shirt, a number, a name represents. At 40 years old, it's enough," he emphasized.
"I have always been a person with a lot of determination and have had things clear. Now I want to train, learn, start to know more about what surrounds the football field. To try to make the things I can do and contribute come out in the best way."
The reason behind his premature farewell to Barcelona and his desires to return to the Blaugrana entity
Subsequently, the topic of Barça was revisited, asking him if he considered his departure from the club to be too early, given that he left the team at the age of 33, still showing a high level of football. "My idea was always to retire at Barça. In the end, situations, moments, make one have to make decisions. It wasn't easy, it was a risky bet. Barça needs you to give 300% of what you have. And I felt that somehow that wasn't going to be possible," he said.
"I left at a time when the memory of 'Andrés Iniesta, Barça player' was fantastic. That memory will remain forever. One of the things I had in my 'unconscious' was that I never wanted to leave Barça at a bad time or when people had a negative perception. It was at the ideal moment."
Now, Iniesta was also questioned about whether he had imagined coaching FC Barcelona in the future, to which he expressed his optimism. "Returning to Barça at some point in my life would please me. I think that people, or the individuals who have had such an influence on this club, should be there. At the moment I feel that I can do what I did as a player, in another section or place in the club, I would be delighted. Everyone is unique in their own way. With all the people I have crossed paths with, they can help you," he stated.
"If I become a coach one day, the profile will be 'Iniesta's profile'."
The overwhelming dominance of the culé club during his time as a player
Furthermore, the '8' highlighted the importance and overwhelming dominance that FC Barcelona had between 2008 and 2012, periods in which the culé club achieved great success, such as the historic 'sextuple'. He also mentioned the decline that the team experienced after those successful years. "I find it difficult to imagine it being repeated in terms of titles because it was incredible, but in football or in life, nothing is impossible. We always like to compare, but just because of what we lived in the past doesn't mean that what comes in the future has to be bad. It can be the same, similar, or even better," he pointed out.
"After 2015, things turned out differently. And each person can label it as they see fit. I always bring it back to a football matter. I don't like to talk about attitudes or letting go. Every professional when they go out to play wants to win and be better than the one in front of them."
Did he deserve the Ballon d'Or in 2010?
During the press conference, Andrés Iniesta elegantly addressed a controversial topic related to the 2010 Ballon d'Or, which many believe he should have won instead of Lionel Messi. The Spaniard left behind any potential conflict and offered a honorable and emotional statement on the matter. "Today I am here, and what crosses my mind the most is the love and affection of the people. It's been able to play football, to make people happy with your work. The Ballon d'Or, of course, it's very nice and it's part of football, but the word 'pride' that I say today is not for the titles I have won. It's for being able to be a footballer and receiving all the affection from the people," he indicated.
"The last thing on my mind today was that moment of the Ballon d'Or, and that day, Leo, Xavi, and I on the Ballon d'Or podium, that's the true prize of that day, not the winner."
His most memorable goal
To conclude, Iniesta was asked a curious question about his favorite goal: the legendary goal with the Barça shirt at Stanford Bridge in the 93rd minute, which led the culé team to victory against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League 2009 final, or the goal he scored against the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa, which meant the first world title for the Spanish national team. Given the significance of both goals, Andrés couldn't choose between them:
"I can't. Not to be polite, I just can't. I had the opportunity to score those two goals, to see people going crazy. Each in its context and magnitude, they can't be chosen. Personally, I can't. They symbolize two very powerful moments in my two lives: the National Team and Barça. Personally, I would say they have been my most powerful moments."