60 interesting facts about Andrés Iniesta’s personal life and career

• Andrés Iniesta retires from football at age 40, ending a decorated career with Barcelona and Spain
• He won 9 La Liga titles and 4 Champions League trophies during his 16-year tenure at Barcelona
• Iniesta’s most iconic moment came when he scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final against the Netherlands

Former Barcelona midfielder and key figure in Spain's golden generation that claimed two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup, Andrés Iniesta, announced his retirement from football at age 40 on Tuesday. Iniesta, a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, made his first-team debut in 2002 at just 18, retaining his spot his place in the midfield as the years went by until his departure 16 years later.

With Barcelona, he secured nine La Liga titles and won the Champions League four times, though his viral moment came when he netted the decisive goal in the 2010 World Cup final against the Netherlands.

Following his exit from Barcelona in 2018, Iniesta spent five seasons with Japanese club Vissel Kobe before concluding his career with Emirates in the UAE.

Facts about Barcelona legend, Iniesta 

TheRadar has compiled below interesting facts about Andrés Iniesta: 

1. Humble beginnings: Iniesta hails from Fuentealbilla, a small village in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, where he primarily played futsal due to a lack of football pitches.

2. Early talent: At age 12, while playing for Albacete Balompié in a junior seven-a-side tournament, he caught the eye of scouts from major Spanish clubs.

3. La Masia journey: Persuaded by Barcelona youth coach Enrique Orizaola, Iniesta's parents enrolled him in Barcelona's famed youth academy, La Masia, despite his initial struggles with homesickness.

4. Nike Premier Cup hero: He captained Barcelona's Under-15 team to victory in the 1999 Nike Premier Cup, scoring the decisive goal in the final minute and being named player of the tournament.

5. Pep Guardiola’s prediction: Upon Iniesta's arrival in the first team, Barcelona's captain at the time, Pep Guardiola, famously told Xavi, “This lad is going to retire us all.”

6. First-team debut: Iniesta made his Barcelona first-team debut on October 29th 2002, in a 1-0 UEFA Champions League win against Club Brugge.

7. 2004-05 season impact: Iniesta played in 37 out of 38 La Liga games in the 2004-05 season, more than any other player, scoring twice as Barcelona won the league title.

8. Xavi's injury opportunity: An injury to Xavi during the 2005-06 season gave Iniesta more chances to start in midfield, which helped him develop his gameplay.

9. Champions League contribution: Iniesta played in 11 Champions League matches in the 2005-06 season, including a crucial appearance in the final, with Barcelona winning the trophy.

10. Versatile player: In the 2006-07 season, Iniesta earned praise for his versatility, playing in various positions, including central midfield and left-wing forward.

11. Captaincy moment: Iniesta captained Barcelona in the 2006 Joan Gamper Trophy, lifting the cup after a 4-0 win over Bayern Munich. He also captained the Spain U21 side on several occasions.

12. Champions League goal scorer: He scored twice while playing as a left-wing forward in Barcelona’s Champions League matches against Levski Sofia in the 2006-07 season.

13. High-scoring season: Despite being moved around by coach Frank Rijkaard, the 2006-07 season remains Iniesta’s highest goal-scoring season (9), with his next best scoring season being the 2010/2011 season where he finished on 8 goals.

14. Number 8 shirt: Ahead of the 2007-08 season, Iniesta switched to his preferred number 8 shirt after Ludovic Giuly left Barcelona.

15. Contract extension & high buy-out clause: Iniesta extended his contract until 2014 on January 25th 2008, with a buy-out clause raised to €150 million, amid transfer rumours.

16. Fourth-choice captain: At the start of the 2008-09 season, Iniesta was elected as Barcelona's fourth-choice captain, behind Carles Puyol, Xavi, and Víctor Valdés.

17. Youth academy legacy: All four Barcelona captains during the 2008-09 season were products of the club's youth system, La Masia.

18. Unusual Standing ovations: Iniesta’s performances in the 2008-09 season earned him unusual standing ovations from both home fans at Camp Nou and rival supporters in away matches. Throughout the 2010-11 season, Iniesta received standing ovations from opposition fans, including at El Sardinero and Vicente Calderón Stadium, for his World Cup-winning goal.

19. World Cup Final winner: Iniesta scored the winning goal in the 116th minute of the 2010 World Cup final, securing a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands.

20. Heroic comeback: In his return match on January 3rd 2009, Iniesta came on as a 65th-minute substitute and scored a vital goal to secure a Barcelona comeback against Mallorca.

21. First-time captain: Iniesta captained Barcelona for the first time in an official match on January 6th 2009, leading them to a 3-1 Copa del Rey victory against Atlético Madrid.

22. Champions League semi-final hero: Iniesta scored a heart-wrenching last-minute equaliser against Chelsea in the 2008-09 Champions League semi-final, sending Barcelona through to the final on away goals. The match remains one of the most controversial UCL matches till date as Chelsea fans continue to refer to it bitterly.

23. Emotional connection: Iniesta described his iconic goal against Chelsea, saying he hit the ball “with all (his) might” from his heart, emphasising the emotional connection.

24. Key assist in UCL final: Despite a thigh injury, Iniesta played in the 2009 Champions League final, providing the assist for Samuel Eto'o's opening goal in Barcelona's 2-0 win over Manchester United.

25. Praised by Alex Ferguson: Ahead of the 2009 UCL final, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson identified Iniesta as Barcelona’s biggest threat, praising his movement, passing, and ability to create space.

26. Wayne Rooney's admiration: After the 2009 final, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney declared Iniesta the best player in the world.

27. Top honours: Iniesta finished fifth in the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year voting and fourth in the Ballon d'Or rankings that year. Iniesta finished in the top three Ballon d’Or rankings twice in 2010 and 2011.

28. Barcelona’s record title: In the 2009-10 season, Barcelona won their second consecutive La Liga title with a record 99 points.

30. Injury disruptions: Iniesta's 2009-10 campaign was marred by recurring injuries, particularly a thigh tear sustained during the 2009 Champions League final.

31. Limited starts: He started only 20 games that season, despite appearing in almost as many matches as in the previous campaign.

32. Season cut short: Iniesta’s 2009-10 season ended prematurely in April due to a calf injury sustained during training.

33. Psychological struggles: Iniesta suffered from psychological instability following the sudden death of his close friend, footballer Daniel Jarque, in August 2009.

34. Seeking help: He sought psychological help from renowned Spanish sports psychologist Inma Puig to overcome his emotional struggles.

35. World Cup catharsis: Iniesta experienced a personal catharsis by scoring the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, dedicating it to Jarque with the message “Dani Jarque, always with us” on his undershirt.

36. Golden ball shortlist: Iniesta was shortlisted for the Golden Ball award for his exceptional performances leading Spain to the final.

37. Social celebrity: In March 2015, Iniesta ranked ninth in the world among sportspeople on social media, with 24 million Facebook fans.

38. First goal of 2010–11: Iniesta scored his first goal of the 2010-11 season in Barcelona's opening league fixture against Racing Santander with a long-range lob from 30 yards.

39. Emperor’s Cup win: Iniesta captained Vissel Kobe to their first-ever major trophy in 2019, securing the Emperor’s Cup.

40. Espanyol's respect: Espanyol fans gave him a standing ovation in the Derbi barceloní, acknowledging his friendship with their former captain Daniel Jarque.

41. 2019 Nagoya Grampus match: Iniesta, along with David Villa, scored twice in a thrilling 5-3 win against Nagoya Grampus in 2019. A very rare display by the former.

42. Supercopa hero: He scored the opening goal in the second leg of the 2011 Supercopa de España against Real Madrid, helping Barcelona win the cup 5-4 on aggregate.

43. Champions League success: Iniesta scored crucial goals against Milan in the 2011-12 Champions League quarter-finals and Chelsea in the semi-finals, although Barcelona was ultimately eliminated.

44. Marriage: Iniesta married Anna Ortiz on July 8th 2012, after the couple began dating in 2008.

45. Children: The couple has five children two daughters (born in 2011 and 2017) and two sons (born in 2015 and 2019). Their fifth child, a girl, was born in February 2023.

46. Tragic loss: In March 2014, they lost an unborn son due to a miscarriage.

47. Faith: Iniesta is a practising Catholic.

48. Albacete investment: In 2011, Iniesta invested €420,000 in his boyhood club, Albacete, becoming its major shareholder.

49. Supporting Albacete: In 2013, Iniesta loaned Albacete an additional €240,000 to help the club cover unpaid wages and avoid administrative relegation.

50. Japanese sponsorship: On October 22nd 2018, Iniesta signed a sponsorship deal with Japanese sportswear company Asics, releasing his first signature boot on July 15th 2019.

51. Early success: Iniesta helped Spain win the UEFA European Under-16 Championship in 2001.

52. Youth achievements: He played in the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship and helped Spain win the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in 2002.

53. World Youth final: Iniesta was part of the team that reached the final of the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship and was named in the tournament's all-star team.

54. Farewell Match: Iniesta played his final match for Vissel Kobe on Saturday, July 1st 2023, which was live-streamed on J.League’s International YouTube channel.

55. Senior Spain call-up: Iniesta received a surprise call-up to Spain's senior squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

56. First senior goal: His first international goal came in a friendly against England on February 7th 2007 with a stunning long-range effort.

57. Dani Jarque tribute: He earned a yellow card for celebrating his World Cup-winning goal by revealing a message dedicated to his late friend Dani Jarque.

58. Unique Spanish player: Iniesta became the only Spanish player to win the Man of the Match award in each of Spain's three consecutive successful tournaments (Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, Euro 2012).

59. Longest Injury setback: Iniesta suffered a hamstring injury on Dec 10th 2020, sidelining him until Apr 29th, 2021 (140 days).

60. International retirement: After Spain's round-of-16 loss to Russia in the 2018 World Cup, Iniesta retired from international football with 131 caps, making him Spain's fourth-most-capped player at the time.

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