“I’m starting the coaching course”

The ‘8’ of our lives says goodbye to us on the 8. Always faithful to its number, which lying down recreates the figure of the infinite, the eternal, what it will be from now on in the history of football. Andres Iniesta He retired at the age of 40, six years after leaving FC Barcelona and the Selection. These are the two jerseys with which one of, if not the best, Spanish footballers of all time became a legend.

Protagonist during his career of goals like that of Soccer City of Johannesburg or that of Stamford Bridgeit was also this Tuesday in a different way. During an event organized at Port Vellnext to the BarcelonaIniesta made the long-awaited announcement surrounded by great football friends and other important figures in his life. The organization aimed for the participation of 400 people and 100 media from around the world. Jane Laporta, Xavier Hernández either Gerard Poke They didn’t miss it.

Received with a thunderous ovation from those present, an emotional Iniesta made the announcement: “I never thought this day would come. In fact, I never would have imagined it. These tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion and pride, not of sadness. They are the tears of this boy from Fuentealbilla who dreamed of being a footballer and we achieved it, after a lot of work and sacrifice. without ever giving up. These values ​​have been essential in my life. I am very proud of the path my career has taken.”

After these words, Iniesta wanted to look back on the chapters of his career. It started with him Albacete: “Even if I never played for Albacete, I always had two teams: ‘Alba’ and Barça. My land is always in my heart”, he said. The next memory was of his family: “They have always been my driving force.” And he stood in his father’s face Jose Anthony“my inspiration”. “My passion for football and What I did in football I owe to him“, he added.

He titled the next chapter as: “The Journey of My Life: Fuentealbilla – Barcelona“Today, I am lucky to be with these four people who made this trip: my parents, my grandfather and me […] La Masía changed me forever. For me, coming to Barça was a dream and I focused on making it come true,” he said. And then there was his debut with Barça: “Everything shook me. It’s something that will always stay with me. I remember I was with Luis Enrique waiting for the car to arrive at the locker room. I walked into the locker room, I don’t know how long I stayed without opening my mouth, it was very special for me. “Luis Enrique helped me with the first goal, then he was my coach and we achieved great things.”

Special mention for the Selection: “My other skin”. “For me, the national team is another level. You are chosen among thousands of players. I had the honor to have been in the best era of the national team until today”, he declared. “It’s all summed up in one photo: this goal in the World Cup. But we all scored that goal. All these people who fought to achieve this. I had the opportunity to be there to do it, but everyone’s magic made it possible. Dani Jarque also helped us“Those were Iniesta’s exciting words about his time with the national team.

He also wanted to remember “Barça’s best scene”. “We had a lot of fun. It was magical how we got it“, he began. “It’s a period that symbolizes everything for me. Being able to be in the club of your life, being able to grow in all the lower categories and wearing this jersey is something unique and something that I will always stay with”, he summed up. And he spoke about the present of the Barça, in the presence of some of its representatives: “Things are starting to go very well and people are starting to be proud of their club again,” he declared.

After also reviewing his time at Vissel Kobe and Japan and his latest adventure in the United Arab Emirates, he then spoke about what’s next. Because the genius of Fuentealbilla is hanging up his boots, but is not leaving football. “The game continues” is the phrase Iniesta chose to accompany his farewell, and so it will be.

“It’s over being on the field, but I can’t be too far from football. It has been my life and it will continue to be. The construction of tomorrow has been done step by step, working on different projects this next step, I have the motivation to continue training, I need to learn, to make mistakes, in the club projects we have, the academies and, now, I am starting. the coaching course. “I’m stubborn and I’ll try to do a good job, even if it’s not chasing the ball,” he concluded.

Farewell to Iniesta

The farewell to Iniesta began a day earlier, when Andrés himself hung up the phone. Instagram a glimpse of his farewells. Key figures from his career spoke in the video, such as Louis van Gaal, Louis Henry, dynamism Guardiola either Vicente del Bosque. His father too: “He will never be able to leave football.”

He also said goodbye to those who couldn’t attend the event, like his friend Lion Messifocused with the Argentine national team: “One of the teammates with the most magic and with whom I enjoyed playing together the most. You will miss the ball and so will all of us”, wrote the ’10’ on the social networks on such a special day. Iniesta, always loved.