Barcelona Legend Iniesta Bids Farewell In Tokyo Exhibition Match

Spanish football legend, Andres Iniesta, officially announced his retirement from professional play on Sunday, concluding his career with an exhibition match featuring Barcelona and Real Madrid greats in Tokyo.

He is now set to pursue a path in coaching.

Iniesta announced in October that he was hanging up his boots after a career that saw him win two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.

In front of a crowd of over 45,000 fans in Tokyo, he showcased his exceptional skills one last time. Those skills helped him secure nine La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies during his 16-year tenure with Barcelona.

He made sure he went out with a bang, delivering a last-minute cross that the Real Madrid defense turned into their net to hand Barcelona a 2-1 win.

“I think it was a great game for the Japanese fans,” said Iniesta, who played in Japan for five years after leaving Barcelona in 2018.

“If they went home satisfied then I’m very happy.”

Iniesta took the field alongside his former midfield partner Xavi Hernandez, joined by Barcelona legends Rivaldo, Rafael Marquez, and Javier Saviola.

Roberto Carlos, Fabio Cannavaro, and Iker Casillas were among the players in the Real team.

Iniesta said he had “a lot of fun” playing with Xavi, with whom he helped take Barcelona and Spain to new heights.

“Of course, neither of us is at the same level that we were before but a lot about the way we used to link up came back to me during today’s game,” said Iniesta.

Iniesta came up through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy and made his first-team debut aged 18.

He made 674 appearances and won a total of 32 trophies during his time at Camp Nou.

He moved to Japan’s Vissel Kobe before playing one final season in the United Arab Emirates.

Iniesta said he wanted to stay involved in football.

“I’m thinking about getting my coaching license, and I want to see where my career takes me,” he said.