The playmaker called time on a sensational career that saw him lift the World Cup, Euro and Champions League trophies.
Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has announced his retirement from football after a glittering trophy-laden career spanning 24 years.
Iniesta, 40, was at the heart of the Spain and Barcelona midfield during a period of sustained success for both teams in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
“Please allow me to be a little emotional today,” a tearful Iniesta, who most recently played for Emirates Club in the United Arab Emirates, told a news conference on Tuesday.
“I never thought this day would come. I never imagined it. Yes, all these tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion, of pride. They are not tears of sadness.