After it was revealed that the Barcelona and Spain legend Andres Iniesta will move to the Japanese club Vissel Kobe in a Tokyo press conference this afternoon, we looked back across give moments that will live to define the career of the 34-year-old.
A fateful day in Albacete
A young Iniesta began playing for his local side, Albacete, aged eight and attracted the attention of scouts from bigger sides without delay. It was as a 12-year-old that his fate would be sealed, when he was spotted by Barcelona's scouts at the Brunette tournament.
A relationship between the club and his family was established and soon after, as part of a family trip to the water park Port Aventura, they visited La Masia.
Iniesta joined the club when at two years younger than most other recruits did, such was his talent, and a player that was to become an all-conquering force began to be shaped by the club’s coaches.
The arrival of Guardiola as manager
While he had enjoyed success under the club’s last manager, Frank Rijkaard, his handling of the team didn’t always it well with Iniesta and his relationship with his new boss was a revelation.
A former Blaugrana himself, Pep Guardiola assumed the reins at the Camp Nou in 2008. He, in the words of Iniesta himself, “changed everything”.
Iniesta became, of course, a central part of the all-conquering team that his fellow Catalan constructed, with the faith he had in his ability being unquestioning.
Iniestazo
Barcelona trailed Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge and were staring headlong into elimination from the Champions League at the semi-final stage.
A wriggling Lionel Messi found Iniesta outside the box in a central position to send an exquisite first-time effort into the top corner of the net with the outside of his boot.
They went on to win the tournament, a feat which was only allowed by an act of sheer nerve from their No. 8 that night in London.
World Cup-winning goal
The peak of Iniesta’s international career came in the final of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
A bad-tempered final ticked over into extra-time and with only five minutes left of the thirty and the danger of a final that would be remembered for Nigel de Jong’s common assault of Xabi Alonso being the most memorable moment of the match loomed.
Up stepped the Barcelona man who, when released in behind the defence by Cesc Fabregas, showed unerring calm to control and volley home what would be a tournament-sealing goal.
It will live long in the memory of Spanish fans as the goal that landed them their first and only World Cup win. A nation that defined an era of football had the accolade their revolutionary performances had merited.
An emotional farewell
While, at 34, he’s far from spent as a footballing force, Iniesta will always be best remembered for his unwavering loyalty to Barcelona, a club he joined as a teary 12-year-old and left, 22 years later, as one of the greatest midfielders the game has seen.
The scenes of the rapturous Catalan crowd showering the emotional Iniesta in thanks as he was substituted off his last game at the Camp Nou will live long in the memory.
The images of Iniesta sitting on that hallowed turf, alone, long into the night of his last game there serve as a memory of his affinity for the club and what it represents.
