Andres Iniesta chose October 8 as the date to announce his official farewell to football, this number is not random given that he had it printed on his jersey throughout his extraordinary career. The 40-year-old Spanish champion, flag of Barcelona and of the Spanish national team with which he won everything, definitively ends his career. With the Blaugrana jersey, he won more than 30 titles and four Champions Leagues.
It's certainly no surprise that someone like Lionel Messi speaks out about the Spanish champion's farewell: “It was wonderful to play with you – the tribute of the Argentine 10 who played with Iniesta from 2004 to 2018. One of the teammates I had the most fun with, the one with the most magic and we will all miss you, I wish you the best, you are a phenomenon.
But what was Iniesta for football? From the goals scored by Messi to the one with which he offered the World Cup to Spain; of the Ballon d'Or that he earned at the tiqui-taka preached with Xavi. Iniesta, quite simply, was a teacher. With the chance to find someone like Xavi, the two sublime weavers of Pep Guardiola's intrigues, football can say that it has welcomed one of the best midfielders of all time. There is no doubt about it.
Brazil vs. Argentina, Messi (Getty)
A football that no longer exists, “Don Andres”, also known as “the illusionist”, was a simplifyer, but of the highest category. The spaces he saw, the trajectories he drew on the ground: after revealing them, they became visible to everyone, but before they did not exist. Between a ball inserted between five opponents to put his teammate in front of the goal (recipient: 9 times out of 10 Messi) and a phrasing in midfield with his twin Xavi, the tiqui-taca so to speak, “Don Andreas” also played in figures which gave a good idea of the immense individual technique which was hidden behind this apparently “normal” physique. Could you live today with football that is more physical than technical? Certainly yes, its trademark, the veronica, the sombrero or the croqueta, consisting of defeating the opponent by passing the ball from one foot to the other, always using the inside, an extreme solution to get out of trouble. 'a difficult situation.
