The legendary midfielder Andres Iniesta announced his retirement from soccer this week during a special event in Barcelona. The Spanish icon also recently shared his thoughts on what it meant to play under manager Luis Enrique during their time together at the Catalan club.
Iniesta won an impressive 38 trophies with both his club and country, including the 2010 World Cup, where he netted the winning goal in extra time. He also claimed four UEFA Champions League titles and two UEFA European Championships.
He played in 674 matches for Barcelona and was a crucial part of the club’s golden era from 2008 to 2012, a period often regarded as the best in their history. During that time, Barcelona won two Champions League titles and three consecutive league championships. Iniesta also earned 131 caps for Spain’s senior national team.
Following his retirement, the former midfielder spoke with SPORT and noted the impact that Enrique had on his career.
“Luis Enrique? It’s the way he understands and communicates football,” Iniesta told the Spanish media outlet (h/t Le10Sport). “I’ve had the privilege of working with the best, and that’s something really valuable for any player.
“Even if you’re not fully aware of it, his approach to managing the group stays with you. You don’t need a tactical breakdown to see how talented someone is—it’s more about how they handle things every day.”