After joining Barca’s academy, La Masia, aged 12, Iniesta blossomed into one of the Catalans’ greatest ever players, winning four Champions League and eight La Liga titles, and lifting the World Cup with Spain.
Struggling to hold back the tears, Iniesta said: “I understand that in the near future I will not be able to give the best of myself in all senses, both physically and mentally.
![[Image: Andres_Inesta_barcelona_2018_%25284%2529.jpg]](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sLQ2UZXshk4/WuPYBesalhI/AAAAAAAAREk/52EsKthXtNsxo-ukUJEoTPwznSz3g24ewCLcBGAs/s400/Andres_Inesta_barcelona_2018_%25284%2529.jpg)
In what was his last cup final with Barca, Iniesta capped a typically elegant performance at the Wanda Metropolitano with a wonderful finish, shimmying past goalkeeper David Soria and tapping in his 57th club goal, on his 669th appearance.
The man who is revered all over Spain after scoring the winning goal of the 2010 World Cup final joined Barcelona as a 12-year-old.
He admitted to a difficult beginning in Barcelona, as he missed his home close to Albacete in central Spain, and later confessed to "crying rivers" because he missed his parents.
However, he progressed through the Barca youth team before making his first team debut as an 18-year-old in 2002.
![[Image: Andres_Inesta_barcelona_2018_%252818%2529.jpg]](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gySqeL1Z8aA/WuQnxRWboPI/AAAAAAAARGA/EQzSUZk3b7s0U71p0s-S82kROkuOh6O2ACLcBGAs/s400/Andres_Inesta_barcelona_2018_%252818%2529.jpg)
Since then he has made 550 appearances for Barca, won eight La Liga titles (it will be nine by the end of the season), four Champions Leagues, six Copas del Rey, three European and seven Spanish Supercups and four World Club Championships with the club.
Meanwhile, Iniesta has played 125 times for Spain, winning the 2008 and 2012 European Championships and, of course, the 2010 World Cup.
The Fuentealbilla native is the most decorated Spanish football of all time with 34 trophies, including two trebles in 2009 and 2015.
Iniesta is likely to win his 35th medal when Barcelona wrap up the Primera Divisón title in the coming weeks before he moves on.
![[Image: Andres_Inesta_barcelona_2018_%25285%2529.jpg]](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6fe3s_xMFQo/WuPYBunecPI/AAAAAAAAREo/Es6CrZocXeUMk0brDH6cnwE3U_s7pw0EgCLcBGAs/s400/Andres_Inesta_barcelona_2018_%25285%2529.jpg)
Struggling to hold back the tears, Iniesta said: “I understand that in the near future I will not be able to give the best of myself in all senses, both physically and mentally.
In what was his last cup final with Barca, Iniesta capped a typically elegant performance at the Wanda Metropolitano with a wonderful finish, shimmying past goalkeeper David Soria and tapping in his 57th club goal, on his 669th appearance.
The man who is revered all over Spain after scoring the winning goal of the 2010 World Cup final joined Barcelona as a 12-year-old.
He admitted to a difficult beginning in Barcelona, as he missed his home close to Albacete in central Spain, and later confessed to "crying rivers" because he missed his parents.
However, he progressed through the Barca youth team before making his first team debut as an 18-year-old in 2002.
Since then he has made 550 appearances for Barca, won eight La Liga titles (it will be nine by the end of the season), four Champions Leagues, six Copas del Rey, three European and seven Spanish Supercups and four World Club Championships with the club.
Meanwhile, Iniesta has played 125 times for Spain, winning the 2008 and 2012 European Championships and, of course, the 2010 World Cup.
The Fuentealbilla native is the most decorated Spanish football of all time with 34 trophies, including two trebles in 2009 and 2015.
Iniesta is likely to win his 35th medal when Barcelona wrap up the Primera Divisón title in the coming weeks before he moves on.
Blog ：los fans de fútbol
![[Image: Andres_Iniesta_barcelona_2018_%25281%2529.jpg]](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YdsftxalBEY/WvEGmVahZTI/AAAAAAAARHE/2W_Vzy5jw0cRLX3-deTgTUQUuiQzVElCACLcBGAs/s320/Andres_Iniesta_barcelona_2018_%25281%2529.jpg)
![[Image: Andres_Iniesta_barcelona_2018_%252829%2529.jpg]](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hFFbLx8RKLM/WvEGspbQfmI/AAAAAAAARII/0y_6LRtoaRUuZut1-bzBerFH-EJCEpOPQCLcBGAs/s320/Andres_Iniesta_barcelona_2018_%252829%2529.jpg)