Every country has its Kennedy moment, a moment that is immortalized in the collective consciousness. There are often moments of shock and fear, in the case of Spain for example: the fascist coup attempt on February 23, 1981 or the Islamist attack on March 11, 2004 with more than 200 deaths. On Tuesday, a 40-year-old man bid farewell to football who gave his country a different kind of Kennedy moment, a moment of indelible happiness: Andrés Iniesta, who secured Spain’s first (and so far only) World Cup title on July 11, 2010, by scored the winning goal in the 116th minute against the Netherlands in the World Cup final in Johannesburg. “I was there to complete. But we all scored that goal,” said Iniesta. “It was only possible thanks to everyone’s magic.”
Something similar also applies to the other “Iniestazo”, the second indelible Iniesta goal: the goal at Stamford Bridge in 2009, with which his then club, FC Barcelona, knocked Chelsea out of the Champions League and reached the final. Anyone who thought that Iniesta would hierarchize the hits was “impossible” was wrong. Each goal symbolizes “in its respective context and size” Iniesta’s footballing life, “the selection and Barça”.
What a sound they both had back then: Spain not only won the 2010 World Cup, but also the European Championship titles in 2008 and 2012; Barça won the treble for the first time in the club’s history in 2009, under the later Bayern coach Pep Guardiola and with Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernández. Iniesta was denied only one trophy: the Ballon d’Or for World Player of the Year. Yes, a golden ball like that would have been nice, he said. “But for me the photo with Leo and Xavi Preis was enough that there were three players from the same company on the podium (in 2010),” said Iniesta. Because Messi, Xavi and Iniesta grew up in the Masía, Barcelona’s youth center.
If Iniesta had his way, he would have continued playing until he was 90
Iniesta moved there at the age of twelve; he came from a place called Fuentealbilla in Extremadura, Spain, which no one knew at the time and which every Spaniard knows today. They took a break along the 460-kilometer route, but no one was able to eat, the father said. The boy’s fear of loneliness was too great, and his parents’ worries about the future were too great. She held 40 titles, including four Champions League trophies, early retirement positions in Japan and Dubai, but also dark moments. Years ago, Iniesta made it public that he had suffered from depression. The sudden cardiac death of his friend and colleague Dani Jarque from RCD Espanyol, which he commemorated in Johannesburg on a T-shirt he wore under his jersey, left him ill.
Open detailed viewAndrés Iniesta (left) never received the golden ball for the world footballer; it was usually given to Lionel Messi (center), like here in 2011; but in 2010, together with Xavi Hernández (right), they took the top three places in the election. (Photo: imago)
He also found his way out of this depression through football, to which he gave so much. “Andrés is one of the few footballers in history who was a professor first and a student second,” said Llorenço Serra Ferrer, who promoted Iniesta to the first team when he was 16. Back then, Iniesta already had everything that would make him famous: gifted technique, outstanding overview, and a fantastic understanding of the game. Among the teammates he played with, Iniesta was one “with the most magic,” said Messi.
If it had been up to him, he would have continued playing until he was 90, said Iniesta, but his body no longer cooperates. He wants to stay connected to football – and pursue his training as a coach. The current Barça coach Hansi Flick, who was among the guests of honor alongside his predecessor Xavi and President Joan Laporta, is not threatened by this. “I hope that Mister can stay for many years, it would be a great sign for our club and that things are going well. We are very happy with him,” said Iniesta. “I have no doubt that his work is and will continue to be fantastic. The only thing we outsiders can do is support him.” But Iniesta also said that he would love to return to FC Barcelona.
