Andrés Iniesta - Farewell to a Legend

Spain's 2010 World Cup final hero hangs up his boots at 40

Transcript

00:00I just can say thank you, because he helped me to understand the game better.

00:05The best player for me, with whom I have played, is Iniesta.

00:08He is the one who interprets the best football.

00:30First of all, he is a friend.

00:34He is the greatest talent I have seen in a Spanish footballer, or that I have seen with my own eyes.

00:40For me, one of the best footballers in the history of football.

00:54He didn't win the Ballon d'Or, and it's true that he deserved it.

00:57I think he deserved the Ballon d'Or when he won the World Cup.

01:01He had an exceptional year.

01:03He finished the World Cup by winning, by scoring.

01:06So, of course, he deserved it.

01:10Andrés, as a player, as a person, as a teammate,

01:13the truth is that he is a 10, or more, if possible.

01:27We are not going to fool ourselves.

01:47Iniesta is an irreplaceable player.

01:49You can play with another player,

01:51but he is a player who has some characteristics

01:53that it is difficult to think that you are going to do something similar.

01:59What Iniesta gives you, another player is not going to give you.

02:02A massive player on the pitch, and a massive person on and off the pitch.

02:07What he did after scoring the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa,

02:14the winning goal, and showing the shirt with Danny Harken's name, I think, touched us.

02:22Andrés Iniesta, who I want to congratulate for his career,

02:29but especially for how he has taken that wonderful journey,

02:35with values, giving an example to society,

02:37of everything that has to be a sportsman and a person.

02:55I just can say thank you because he helped me.

02:58People believe that managers have to play, but in a few cases,

03:01and I think Andrés is one of them,

03:03he helped me to understand the game better.