- Title: Former Spain and Barcelona midfielder Iniesta announces retirement at 40
- Date: 7th October 2024
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (FILE - JULY 12, 2010) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** INIESTA (RED HAT) NEXT TO XABI ALONSO ON OPEN TOP BUS PARADE AFTER SPAIN RETURNED HOME FROM THE 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP AS CHAMPIONS BUS DRIVING PAST AS FANS CELEBRATE MADRID, SPAIN (FILE - JULY 14, 2010) (REUTERS) THEN SPANISH PRIME MINISTER JOSE LUIS RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO INTRODUCING INIEST
- Embargoed: 21st October 2024 13:49
- Keywords: Andres Iniesta Barcelona Retirement Spain World Cup
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN / JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA / MADRID, BARCELONA, SPAIN / SAINT-DENIS, NICE, SAINT-MARTIN-DE-RE, FRANCE / KRASNODAR, RUSSIA / DUESSELDORF, GERMANY / LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN / JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA / MADRID, BARCELONA, SPAIN / SAINT-DENIS, NICE, SAINT-MARTIN-DE-RE, FRANCE / KRASNODAR, RUSSIA / DUESSELDORF, GERMANY / LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Europe,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA005835001102024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta announced his retirement on Tuesday (October 8) after a trophy-laden career spanning 24 years.
"Please allow me to be a little emotional today..." a tearful Iniesta, who most recently played for Emirates Club in the United Arab Emirates, told a press conference.
"I never thought this day would come. I never imagined it. Yes, all these tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion, of pride. They are not tears of sadness.
"They are tears of that boy from a small town like Fuentealbilla, who had the dream of being a footballer and we achieved it after a lot of hard work, sacrifice... of never giving up, essential values in my life. I feel very proud of this path, with all the people who have accompanied me."
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