Andres Iniesta heads to the Middle East.
Global media ‘ESPN’ said on the 8th (Korean time), “Barcelona giant Iniesta has signed a one-year contract with the Emirates club in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He arrived in Dubai last Monday ahead of signing the contract and has an option to stay until June 2025. ” reported.스포츠토토
“Iniesta, who spent five seasons with Vissel Kobe in Japan, is joining the Emirates club as a free agent. There were difficulties. I’ve experienced a lot over the past five years,” he added.
Iniesta is a world-class midfielder who decorated an era with Barcelona and the Spanish national team. In Barcelona, he digested 674 matches in his career, and also played 131 matches for Spain, joining the ‘Century Club (played in more than 100 matches in A matches)’.
His winning career is also splendid. Barcelona has won the Spanish La Liga title 9 times, the Copa del Rey 6 times, the Supercopa de España 7 times, the UEFA Champions League (UCL) 4 times, the UEFA Super Cup 3 times, the International Football Federation (FCL) He has won three FIFA Club World Cup titles. He won the FIFA World Cup and two UEFA Euros in Spain.
In 2018, the partnership with Barcelona, which seemed to last forever, came to an end. Iniesta headed to Asia and joined Kobe, Japan. Despite being in his late 30s, he steadily stepped on the ground without minor injuries and even wore the captain’s armband.
Iniesta turned 39 years old. He chose the Middle East as the stage to end his career. Emirates Club, where Iniesta joined, cannot be seen as a very prestigious club in the UAE. Al Ain and Al Ahli, who also won the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL), are the representative clubs of the UAE. The Emirates club succeeded in persuading Iniesta, who was eager to participate, by offering a contract with a one-year extension option included in the basic one-year contract.