Retirement of Andrés Iniesta | Ludovic Giuly: “He improved everything he touched”

Ludovic Giuly, what does the imminent announcement (this Tuesday) of the portrait of Andres Iniestawho you worked with at FC Barcelona between 2004 and 2007?

Ludovic Giuly: After Barcelona, ​​he chose Japan (2018-2023) and I think he had a blast there for five years. He found his balance there and perhaps he needed to find more anonymity to enjoy with his family. He had to help the Kobe club evolve, so it was interesting for everyone. Then he ended up in the United Arab Emirates. I think he wanted to get a little closer and enjoyed it without worrying. In my opinion, he went around and must have said to himself: ‘that’s it, I’m stopping and I’m going home’.

Lionel Messi was shy but he was even shyer

You grew up together for three years. What memories do you have of him at the Blaugrana?

LG: He came from La Masia. I saw him grow and become a great player within the professional group. It was a great meeting because he was a very kind person, very humble and very, very shy at the time. Lionel Messi was shy but he was even more so. He has his little character but he was a lovely person in a locker room. At the time, he was also lucky that FC Barcelona was very united. We didn’t worry.

What do you remember from your first meeting with Andrés Iniesta?

LG: First of all, I remember this group of friends that he formed with Xavi, Victor Valdés and Carles Puyol. It was the four Musketeers because they were together all the time. He had his bearings with the players trained at Masia. At the time, as we kept winning, we obviously went out a lot. At the start, I was with the Brazilians (Ronaldinho, etc…) and at one point, I couldn’t keep up. So, I found myself quite a few times with them to go eat quietly at a restaurant before going home. Andrés was really into football.

Why was he so different on the pitch?

LG: That’s typical of great players. Andrés was quite reserved outside the green rectangle while on the pitch, he managed to express himself with his feet and it was even more beautiful. He was nice to watch play. In addition, he scored some important goals. He was rewarded at the right time.

Andrés Iniesta (second from the right) won his first Champions League in 2006 with Samuel Eto’o, Ludovic Giuly, Mark van Bommel and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Credit: Imago

Sometimes it looked like he wasn’t fast but he accelerated to good effect with that body feint he often did

Can you tell the story of the bulls in training with Andrés Iniesta?

LG: I arrived from Monaco and they had a group that was already well formed. At the beginning, I was with the Brazilians and I didn’t go too much with them (editor’s note: Andrés Iniesta and his friends also trained at the Masia) because I knew that I could take small bridges. Guys are born with it. Technically, he and Xavi were impressive. With Deco, we had an incredible midfielder. For Andrés, the 2006-07 season was important because he played even more regularly.

It must have been crazy training with Andrés Iniesta, Xavi, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Deco…

LG: Listen, we ran a lot (smile). Frankly, it was going at 3000 per hour. They were extraordinary. I had three incredible years with incredible players. And personally, it also made me grow.

What impressed you the most about Andrés Iniesta?

LG: One of his incredible abilities was his acceleration with the ball. Sometimes it looked like he wasn’t fast but he accelerated to good effect with that body feint he often did. Andrés, he controlled and accelerated to eliminate.

“For Mbappé, either Deschamps folds or Real made a mistake”

When I left Barcelona, ​​Andrés called me to see if he could get number 8 back

When did you realize he was going to become a top world player?

LG: I already knew he was a great player but I no longer played with him at Barcelona when he scored in the 2010 World Cup final. That’s really the period where he experienced this apotheosis and confirmed that he was one of the greatest.

Is there an anecdote with Andrés Iniesta that stood out to you?

LG: Yes, in 2007. When I left Barcelona (for Roma), he called me to see if he could have the number 8 that I wore back. I wasn’t going to say no to him (laughs). Personally, I was proud because you don’t have to ask. I too in 2004, I did it with Hristo Stoitchkov (editor’s note: Barcelona legend between 1990 and 1995) after the departure of Philipp Cocu and to thank me, he gave me his jersey from the time with the number 8 … As for Andrés, I haven’t seen him for five or six years, but when I go to see him on Tuesday, I’m sure he won’t have changed. Today, I remember a man who always showed this kind gesture and this respect. He’s a boy with a lot of values. I’m very happy to have played with him and that he didn’t forget me for his end-of-career party. Andrés is the typical example of a great player: classy on and off the pitch.

What was his relationship with Frank Rijkaard, the Barcelona coach at the time, and president Joan Laporta?

LG: Frank Rijkaard made him grow up wisely because Andrés was a little frail at the beginning. He was a small guy as thin as me. I think he has a bit of the same style as Pedri. Andrés at the time was the same young player. As for Joan Laporta, he adored him because he represented La Masia.

What were his relationships with Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho?

LG: How can you not like Andrés and his game? It’s like Toni Kroos: when he’s on the pitch, you immediately see the difference because he improves your game. He improves everything.

Is he one of the five best players you have played with?

LG: Yes, definitely. Especially compared to his size in the middle of the field, it was not easy. You have to invent yourself and invent things. In terms of game intelligence, I never had anything to say to him about his positioning or his replacement. This guy was incredible: he got out of such situations sometimes with Xavi. He had this ability to take up space which was incredible. Then, he was able to progress in the last 20 and 30 meters to score more.

Would he have deserved to win the 2010 Ballon d’Or?

LG: Yes, in my opinion he should have had it then. Afterwards when you have Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the same time… But compared to what he did in his career and during this incredible year 2010 with this World Cup, his goal in the final and his titles with Barça… If he had had it that year, there would have been no controversy.