A legendary retirement in football

08/10/2024, 15:04

In 2024, world football witnessed many farewells. They were Tony Kross of Germany, Pepe of Portugal, Di Maria of Argentina, Griezmann of France...; and this time, a Spanish player - Andres Iniesta. He officially announced his retirement from professional football, ending a remarkable 24-year professional career.

Officially appearing in the football area in 2000, after 24 years of professional competition, Iniesta's glorious career is associated with major titles at Barcelona and the Spanish national team most of the time. Throughout his era, Iniesta has clinched 39 manytitles, typically 1 World Cup, 2 EURO, 4 Champions League and 9 La Liga... He is the only star to win the Best Player title in the finals of the World Cup, the EURO, and the Champions League.

In the 116th minute of the 2010 World Cup game between Spain and the Netherlands, Iniesta scored the “Golden Goal”, helping “La Roja” defeat the Netherlands with a score of 1-0 to win the World Cup for the first time in history, which is one of the most memorable moments of hislegendary career.

Throughout his career, he was known as a midfield maestro with magnificent tactical vision, composure and excellent exceptional skills. Moreover, he is considered one of the best midfielders in the world of his generation and one of the greatest players of all time in football history. Most of his career was at Barcelona FC, ​​where he was captain for three seasons and played a key role in the success of the Catalan giants. He became an inspiration to countless fans and players around the world. The willingness to play in any position on the field has given Iniesta nicknames such as El Ilusionista (The Magician) or El Cerebro (The Brain).

French football legend Zidane once shared: "Iniesta impressed me. He had a big impact on the Spanish playing skills. He reminded me of myself." Along with that, Iniesta is considered by many in the sports world to be one of the most respected and excellent midfielders of all time and one of the greatest passers and assisters in football history.

Though a superstar of international football in particular and international sports in general, Iniesta's daily life is very simple. Iniesta married Anna Ortiz in 2012; they had three daughters (born in 2011, 2015, and 2023) and two sons (born in 2015 and 2019). Iniesta has been completely free from scandals throughout his career; he is praised for his dedication and humility. His retirement is like a farewell of the football world to a talented and model legend.

TRANSLATED BY UYEN LINH

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A legendary retirement in football