Andrés Iniesta
Encyclopedia
Andrés Iniesta Luján is a Spanish
football player. He currently plays as a central midfielder for La Liga
club FC Barcelona
, and the Spanish national team
.
Iniesta came through La Masia
, the Barcelona youth academy, and impressed from an early age. He made his first-team debut in 2002, aged 18. He began playing regularly during the 2004–05 season
, and has remained in the side ever since. He was an integral part of the sextuple-winning Barcelona side in 2009, the only time which a club has achieved six titles in a year.
Iniesta played for Spain at Under-16, Under-19 and Under-21 levels, before making his international debut in 2006. He was selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
, playing one game, as Spain went out in the second round. He helped Spain qualify for Euro 2008, and played an important role in the side as they went on to win the competition, playing every game and being selected in the UEFA Team of the Tournament. Iniesta was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
and was a key member of the victorious Spanish side; he scored the winning goal in the final
against the Netherlands
, also being named Man of the Match
, and was selected in the tournament's All-Star Team. He was also the Man of the Match
for two other World Cup
games.
in the province of Albacete, Castile-La Mancha
. At the age of 12, while playing for Albacete in a junior seven-a-side tournament in Brunete
, he attracted the attention of scouts from many clubs around Spain
. His parents knew the FC Barcelona
youth team coach, Enrique Orizaola, and he persuaded them to consider sending Iniesta to the Barcelona youth academy. Iniesta travelled there with his parents and visited La Masia
, the Spanish farmhouse where the team house their young players; the trip convinced them to enroll Iniesta in the Barcelona youth ranks. Iniesta says he "cried rivers" the day he left for La Masia and struggled being separated from his parents; he was very shy and kept to himself while there.
He captained the Barcelona Under-15 team to victory in the Nike Premier Cup
of 1999, scoring the winning goal in the last minute of the final, and being named player of the tournament. The trophy was presented by one of Iniesta's idols: the then first-team captain Josep Guardiola
, whose poster hung above Iniesta's bed. Guardiola gave Iniesta a signed photograph dedicated to "the best player I've ever seen", and it was around this time that he reportedly said to Barcelona midfielder and then-rising star Xavi
that, "You will retire me, but Iniesta will retire us both." As a manager, Guardiola would make Xavi and Iniesta the heart of his treble
-winning Barcelona side of 2009, a decade after his famous prediction.
Iniesta rose through the club's youth teams and, by the age of 16, was already the key player for FC Barcelona B
. Barcelona manager Louis van Gaal
handed Iniesta his senior first-team debut in October 2002, in a UEFA Champions League
group game against Standard Liège
. He appeared ten times in the 2003–04 league, starting in five of the games and scoring once as Barcelona finished second behind Valencia CF
.
season Iniesta featured in 37 out of 38 league games—more than any other player—although 25 of these were substitute appearances. He scored twice as Barcelona won La Liga. An injury to fellow midfielder Xavi
at the start of the 2005–06
season allowed Iniesta more regular starts in the centre of midfield, and he continued to improve and develop. He played in 11 Champions League games, including a half-time appearance in the 2006 final
to replace Edmílson. His contribution to the team was praised by manager Frank Rijkaard
as Barcelona won a league and Champions League double.
The 2006–07 season saw Iniesta's profile continue to rise and earned plaudits for his willingness to play in any position for his team. On 22 August 2006, Iniesta lifted the Joan Gamper Trophy
as the captain of the team after defeating German side Bayern Munich
4–0. He played for the first time as a left wing-forward for Barcelona in two Champions League matches against Levski Sofia
, finding the net twice. In the first knock out stage of the same competition, he played at central midfield against Liverpool
. Despite being moved around the pitch by manager Rijkaard, the 2006–07 season remains Iniesta's highest scoring thus far.
With the departure of Ludovic Giuly
over the summer break, Iniesta was able to switch his number 24 shirt for his preferred number 8. On 19 July 2007, the Spanish newspaper Marca
linked Iniesta with a move to rivals Real Madrid
, who were willing to pay his €60 million release clause. Iniesta responded the same day to deny the rumours, saying: "I’ve been told about that and I’m very surprised. I can’t do anything about it but I’d like to insist once again that I want to stay here. When I say I want to retire in Barça, I say it with all my heart. And my wishes are above everything else." On 25 January 2008, Iniesta extended his contract to 2014, with his buy-out clause being raised to €150 million.
According to the Spanish football magazine Don Balón
, a member of European Sports Magazines
, Iniesta has been one of the most consistent performers in the last two seasons of Primera Division, placing fifth in 2006–07, and fourth in 2007–08 on their annual rating system Ranking Don Balón. He also placed 9th in the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year
voting, gaining 37 total points. Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi
, Samuel Eto'o
and Xavi also featured in the top ten.
to Milan
, the Barcelona squad decided on its new team captains. Iniesta was named fourth-choice behind, in order of preference, Carles Puyol
, Xavi
and Víctor Valdés
; all four were products of the Barcelona youth system. In mid-November 2008, Iniesta suffered a leg injury and was expected to return to action in six weeks. Iniesta, however, did not want to come back until he was 100 percent and finally returned to action on 3 January 2009 as a 65th minute substitute against RCD Mallorca
. After only 10 minutes he scored a crucial goal and completed a Barcelona comeback in front of the Camp Nou
. His performances in the 2008–09 season have been highly lauded, receiving standing ovations both in Barcelona at the Camp Nou, as well as from rival supporters in away matches.
On 5 February, Iniesta made his 250th appearance for Barcelona in the Copa del Rey
match against Mallorca. Iniesta once again got injured in Barcelona's home match against Málaga CF
, but returned to action for the first leg Champions League quarter-final clash against Bayern Munich, which Barcelona won 4–0.
Former teammate Samuel Eto'o
described Iniesta as being "the best player in the world; whenever Iniesta is on the pitch, he creates a spectacle."
Iniesta scored a vital equaliser from outside the penalty area in the final minute of stoppage time during the second-leg of the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea
, securing the tie on away goals as the match finished 1–1. In his diary of the season, Un Any Al Paradis, he wrote "I connected with that shot with the outside, not the inside or the tip of my boot, but right from my heart, with all my might."
This goal sent Barcelona through to the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final
in Rome
against defending champions Manchester United
. Prior to the final, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson
said: "I'm not obsessed with Messi, Iniesta is the danger. He's fantastic. He makes the team work. The way he finds passes, his movement and ability to create space is incredible. He's so important for Barcelona." Despite a thigh injury, Iniesta played and was influential in the game, providing the assist for the first goal scored by Samuel Eto'o
as his team went on to win 2–0; in his analysis, David Pleat
wrote, "In the end the midfield artistry of Iniesta and Xavi, helped by Messi, was the critical factor". After the game, Wayne Rooney
described Iniesta as the best player in the world.
Don Balón
rated him as the most consistent performer in the 2008–09 La Liga
season, ahead of team-mates Xavi
and Lionel Messi
.
, given to the top player of the year in Europe, along with teammates Xavi
, Thierry Henry
, Yaya Touré
, Zlatan Ibrahimović
, Lionel Messi
and ex-teammate and current Anzhi Makhachkala striker Samuel Eto'o
. Andrés was one of five nominations for the World Player of the Year
award alongside teammates Lionel Messi, and Xavi Hernandez. Proud of the nomination, he commented that "the fans of the team who have always been there to support our team-mates also deserve to be recognised". The ceremony was held in Zürich
and teammate Lionel Messi took home the award. Iniesta placed fifth with
134 votes. He scored his first goal for the season against Racing Santander
in a 4–0 win. Iniesta's 2009–10 season was largely disrupted by recurrent injuries. He missed pre-season fitness training due to the thigh tear suffered in the 2009 Champions League final
and this meant that despite featuring in almost as many matches as the previous season, he did so mostly as a substitute, starting only 20 games throughout. Nevetheless, Barcelona once again won the La Liga title securing a record 99 points. His season came to an end after he aggravated a previous calf injury during training.
On 27 November 2009, he made a one-year extension to his Barcelona contract which now runs until 2015; his buy-out clause was raised again from €150 million to €200 million.
coach Vicente Del Bosque
following the World Cup
, Iniesta returned to Barcelona
for a pre-season medical on 9 August 2010. Speaking to FC Barcelona
's website, he said of the message dedicated to Daniel Jarque
revealed during his goal celebration in the World Cup final
: "I did it because I felt it deeply. It showed that what is more important than rivalry, your team or your colours is to be human and a good person. I am delighted because it was the most important moment in my career." Asked about the recurrent injuries that plagued his 2009–10 season, he said: "It was hard, but I will start with more desire than ever."
Iniesta scored his first goal of the season for Barcelona during the opening La Liga fixture against Racing Santander, lobbing the ball into the net from a distance of 30 yards. He received standing ovations from home fans at El Sardinero
and the Vicente Calderón
in appreciation of his World Cup
-winning exploits whilst with the Spanish national team. He also had a standing ovation in the home pitch of RCD Espanyol
in El Derbi, with the crowd acknowledging his friendship with Daniel Jarque
. Barcelona won the match 1–5.
He was one of the three finalists for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or
, alongside Barcelona teammates Xavi and Messi, but came second as Messi won the award.
season by scoring the opening goal in the second leg of the Supercopa de España
against rivals Real Madrid
, Barcelona went on to win the match 3–2 and the cup on agg. 5–4
.
Iniesta burst on to the international scene in 2001, helping Spain
win the UEFA
European Under-16 Championship, and was in the squad that claimed the UEFA European Under-19 Championship the following year. Since then, he became a regular choice for the then youth coach Juan Santisteban
. In 2003 he formed part of the Spanish side that reached the FIFA World Youth Championship final in the United Arab Emirates
, and was named in the FIFA
all-star team. During his spell with the Spain U21s
side, Iniesta was named captain on several occasions.
Originally a fringe player, he was called up to represent Spain
at the World Cup 2006
on 15 May 2006, much to the surprise of many. Iniesta won his first cap
for Spain
when he was brought on at half-time in a friendly against Russia on 27 May 2006.
He scored his first goal for Spain in a friendly against England
on 7 February 2007. His long range effort, hitting the underside of the crossbar on the way in, gave Spain the lead on 63 minutes. Iniesta proceeded to play a pivotal part in Spain's qualification for Euro 2008 by scoring goals against the likes of Sweden and by assisting the strikers. Iniesta usually played in the middle of the pitch, but he was also trusted with roles further up the pitch when Spain was away from home, most notably in the game against Denmark where he was given an advanced left wing position.
Iniesta was selected in Spain's squad for UEFA Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland. Though a stomach virus somewhat hampered his performances in the group stages, he still played an integral part in the midfield. He played in the first two of Spain's group stage matches and proved an important part of the team providing a particularly notable pass for David Villa
's second goal against Russia. He was not rested, unlike most of Spain's regulars, for the final group game against Greece (which Spain won 2–1 thanks to a fantastic volley from Rubén de la Red
and a late winner from Daniel Güiza
), and returned for the quarter-final as Spain beat Italy on penalties. Iniesta was substituted before the penalty shoot out itself. In the semi-final against Russia he played the entire 90 minutes and produced a quality cross which Xavi
converted to open the scoring. The Technical Study Group named him the Man of the Match.
He played the full duration of the final
in Spain's
1–0 win over Germany
. Iniesta was named in the Team of the Tournament alongside fellow Spain midfielders Xavi and Marcos Senna
and 6 other teammates.
Iniesta did not participate in the 2009 Confederations Cup
in South Africa due to a thigh muscle injury.
He was called for the 2010 World Cup
, and scored the second goal in a 2–1 win against Chile
. He was also named man of the match. For his excellent performances in helping Spain reach the final of the tournament, Iniesta was shortlisted for the Golden Ball award. During the 2010 World Cup he scored the winning goal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
In a 1-0 win against Netherlands
in the 116th minute, removing his jersey during his celebration to reveal an inscription on his undershirt reading "Dani Jarque: siempre con nosotros", which translates to "Dani Jarque: always with us," in tribute of former Spain youth teammate and RCD Espanyol
captain Daniel Jarque
, who passed away of a heart attack in August 2009. He won the man of the match award for his performance which sent Spain to their first ever World Cup win.
Europa Press
reported that Iniesta was the most popular Spanish sportsman on the internet throughout 2010. The study performed by company Vipnet360 examined the web presence on platforms like Facebook
, Twitter
and YouTube
. Iniesta was followed by Iker Casillas
, David Villa
, Rafael Nadal
, and Fernando Alonso
rounding the top 5.
, Iniesta originally started as a defensive midfielder but his balance, ball control and agility allied with his skill on the ball saw him make progress as an attacking midfielder. Beyond his raw talent that was spotted at a young age by FC Barcelona
's scouts, it was his great versatility, work ethic and inventiveness that allowed him to stake a claim on a first-team place at the age of 18. Vicente del Bosque
described him as "the complete footballer. He can attack and defend, he creates and scores," and Frank Rijkaard
said "I played him as a false winger, central midfielder, deep midfielder and just behind the striker and he was always excellent." He was used initially as a wide-forward in the absence of Juan Roman Riquelme
and Ronaldinho
by Louis van Gaal
and Rijkaard respectively, but made his name as a world-class player in central midfield alongside or in lieu of Xavi
, at both club and international level. As FIFA
.com says, "It is in this position that his direct style and quick feet can be used to full effect, with the ball seeming glued to his toes as he races into threatening positions. Iniesta is a player known for his passing, dribbling, vision and movement." Much like other Barcelona youth products such as Guardiola, Xavi and Iván de la Peña
, Iniesta relies on exceptional creative passing, intuition and inventiveness to control the midfield and dictate the ebb and flow of play. Iniesta has been praised for his understanding and interplay with Xavi; former Barcelona teammate Giovanni van Bronckhorst
saying "They have a special relationship, they always have, they just seem to know where the other one is". During his maturation as a player, he has gained a reputation for playing a part in important goals for club and country, specifically playing a leading role in the 2006
, 2009
and 2011
UEFA Champions League
finals, as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
and 2008–09 UEFA Champions League and Euro 2008 semi-finals.
His willingness to play anywhere on the pitch has earned him the sobriquet El Ilusionista (The Illusionist), El Cerebro (The Brain), El Anti-Galáctico (a pun on Real Madrid players' nickname Los Galácticos), El Caballero Pálido (The Pale Knight) and most recently Don
Andrés from the Spanish press.
|-
| 1. || 7 February 2007 || Old Trafford
, Manchester
, England
|| || 1 – 0 || 1–0 || International Friendly
|-
| 2. || 28 March 2007 || ONO Estadi, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
|| || 1 – 0 || 1–0 || UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
|-
| 3. || 2 June 2007 || Skonto stadions
, Riga
, Latvia
|| || 2 – 0 || 2–0 || UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
|-
| 4. || 8 September 2007 || Laugardalsvöllur
, Reykjavík
, Iceland
|| || 1 – 0 || 1–1 || UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
|-
| 5. || 17 November 2007 || Santiago Bernabéu
, Madrid
, Spain
|| || 2 – 0 || 3–0 || UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
|-
| 6. || 15 October 2008 || King Baudouin Stadium
, Brussels
, Belgium
|| || 1 – 1 || 2–1 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
|-
| 7. || 25 June 2010 || Loftus Versfeld Stadium
, Pretoria
, South Africa
|| || 2 – 0 || 2–1 || 2010 FIFA World Cup
|-
| 8. || 11 July 2010 || Soccer City, Johannesburg
, South Africa
|| || 1 – 0 || 1–0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
|-
| 9. || 12 October 2010 || Hampden Park
, Glasgow
, Scotland
|| || 2 – 0 || 3–2 || UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
|-
| 10. || 2 September 2011 || AFG Arena
, St. Gallen
, Switzerland
|| || 2 – 1 || 2–3 || International Friendly
|}
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
football player. He currently plays as a central midfielder for La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
club FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, and the Spanish national team
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
.
Iniesta came through La Masia
La Masia
La Masia de Can Planes, usually shortened to La Masia, , is the name given to FC Barcelona's training facilities located near the Camp Nou in the Les Corts district of Barcelona, and is often used to generically describe the youth academy of Barcelona....
, the Barcelona youth academy, and impressed from an early age. He made his first-team debut in 2002, aged 18. He began playing regularly during the 2004–05 season
2004–05 La Liga
2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...
, and has remained in the side ever since. He was an integral part of the sextuple-winning Barcelona side in 2009, the only time which a club has achieved six titles in a year.
Iniesta played for Spain at Under-16, Under-19 and Under-21 levels, before making his international debut in 2006. He was selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, playing one game, as Spain went out in the second round. He helped Spain qualify for Euro 2008, and played an important role in the side as they went on to win the competition, playing every game and being selected in the UEFA Team of the Tournament. Iniesta was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and was a key member of the victorious Spanish side; he scored the winning goal in the final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, also being named Man of the Match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
, and was selected in the tournament's All-Star Team. He was also the Man of the Match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
for two other World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
games.
Early career
Iniesta comes from a small village named FuentealbillaFuentealbilla
Fuentealbilla is a small village and municipality located in the province of Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It is located to the northeast of the center of the city of Albacete and had a population of 2,071 in 2009....
in the province of Albacete, Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha is an autonomous community of Spain. Castile-La Mancha is bordered by Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, and Extremadura. It is one of the most sparsely populated of Spain's autonomous communities...
. At the age of 12, while playing for Albacete in a junior seven-a-side tournament in Brunete
Brunete
Brunete is a town outside Madrid, Spain. There was a major battle fought there during the Spanish Civil War. The battle, while a stalemate, was seen as a tactical victory for the Spanish Nationalist Forces. Francisco Franco is known to have gone hunting there during his rule.It is located...
, he attracted the attention of scouts from many clubs around Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. His parents knew the FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
youth team coach, Enrique Orizaola, and he persuaded them to consider sending Iniesta to the Barcelona youth academy. Iniesta travelled there with his parents and visited La Masia
La Masia
La Masia de Can Planes, usually shortened to La Masia, , is the name given to FC Barcelona's training facilities located near the Camp Nou in the Les Corts district of Barcelona, and is often used to generically describe the youth academy of Barcelona....
, the Spanish farmhouse where the team house their young players; the trip convinced them to enroll Iniesta in the Barcelona youth ranks. Iniesta says he "cried rivers" the day he left for La Masia and struggled being separated from his parents; he was very shy and kept to himself while there.
He captained the Barcelona Under-15 team to victory in the Nike Premier Cup
Manchester United Premier Cup
The Manchester United Premier Cup is a global youth football tournament. The tournament was established by Nike in 1993 as the Nike Premier Cup and featured 624 teams from 15 European countries...
of 1999, scoring the winning goal in the last minute of the final, and being named player of the tournament. The trophy was presented by one of Iniesta's idols: the then first-team captain Josep Guardiola
Josep Guardiola
Josep "Pep" Guardiola i Sala , is a Spanish football manager and former player. Guardiola played as a defensive midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career with FC Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that won Barcelona's first European Cup....
, whose poster hung above Iniesta's bed. Guardiola gave Iniesta a signed photograph dedicated to "the best player I've ever seen", and it was around this time that he reportedly said to Barcelona midfielder and then-rising star Xavi
Xavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
that, "You will retire me, but Iniesta will retire us both." As a manager, Guardiola would make Xavi and Iniesta the heart of his treble
The Treble
The term treble or Treble is used in association football to refer to a team winning three trophies in a single season. Honours usually considered to contribute to a treble are the top-tier domestic league competition, domestic cup competitions, and continental tournaments; although this depends to...
-winning Barcelona side of 2009, a decade after his famous prediction.
Iniesta rose through the club's youth teams and, by the age of 16, was already the key player for FC Barcelona B
FC Barcelona B
Futbol Club Barcelona B is a Spanish football team. They are the reserve team of FC Barcelona. Reserve teams in the Spanish football league system play in the same football pyramid as their senior team rather than a separate league. However reserve teams cannot play in the same division as their...
. Barcelona manager Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal OON is a Dutch football manager formerly in charge of Ajax, Netherlands, Barcelona, AZ and Bayern Munich...
handed Iniesta his senior first-team debut in October 2002, in a UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
group game against Standard Liège
Standard Liège
Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège (Dutch: Standard Luik [], German: Standard Lüttich , is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège....
. He appeared ten times in the 2003–04 league, starting in five of the games and scoring once as Barcelona finished second behind Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
.
2004–2008
In the 2004–052004–05 La Liga
2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...
season Iniesta featured in 37 out of 38 league games—more than any other player—although 25 of these were substitute appearances. He scored twice as Barcelona won La Liga. An injury to fellow midfielder Xavi
Xavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
at the start of the 2005–06
2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
season allowed Iniesta more regular starts in the centre of midfield, and he continued to improve and develop. He played in 11 Champions League games, including a half-time appearance in the 2006 final
2006 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2006 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Barcelona of Spain and Arsenal of England at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris, France, on Wednesday, 17...
to replace Edmílson. His contribution to the team was praised by manager Frank Rijkaard
Frank Rijkaard
Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
as Barcelona won a league and Champions League double.
Joan Gamper Trophy
The Joan Gamper Trophy or Joan Gamper Cup is an annual friendly football competition held in August, before the start of Spanish club FC Barcelona's La Liga season. The competition is hosted by FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou stadium and is named in honour of Joan Gamper, a founding member, player,...
as the captain of the team after defeating German side Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
4–0. He played for the first time as a left wing-forward for Barcelona in two Champions League matches against Levski Sofia
PFC Levski Sofia
"Levski Sofia" redirects here. For the sports club, see Levski Sofia .PFC Levski Sofia, otherwise simply known as Levski or Levski Sofia, is a professional football club based in Sofia, Bulgaria...
, finding the net twice. In the first knock out stage of the same competition, he played at central midfield against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. Despite being moved around the pitch by manager Rijkaard, the 2006–07 season remains Iniesta's highest scoring thus far.
With the departure of Ludovic Giuly
Ludovic Giuly
Ludovic Giuly is a French footballer who plays for Monaco as an attacking midfielder and winger. He represented France at international level, gaining 17 caps over a five-year period, and was a member of their 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup winning squad.-Early career:After starting his career with...
over the summer break, Iniesta was able to switch his number 24 shirt for his preferred number 8. On 19 July 2007, the Spanish newspaper Marca
Marca (newspaper)
MARCA is a Spanish national daily sports newspaper owned by Unidad Editorial. The newspaper focuses primarily on football, in particular the day-to-day activities of Real Madrid CF...
linked Iniesta with a move to rivals Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
, who were willing to pay his €60 million release clause. Iniesta responded the same day to deny the rumours, saying: "I’ve been told about that and I’m very surprised. I can’t do anything about it but I’d like to insist once again that I want to stay here. When I say I want to retire in Barça, I say it with all my heart. And my wishes are above everything else." On 25 January 2008, Iniesta extended his contract to 2014, with his buy-out clause being raised to €150 million.
According to the Spanish football magazine Don Balón
Don Balón
Don Balón was a Spanish weekly sports magazine specialising in Spanish and international football. It was distributed on five continents....
, a member of European Sports Magazines
European Sports Magazines
European Sports Magazines is a European association of football related publications.-ESM Members:The members of this group elect each month a European "Team of the Month", and annually a European "Team of the Year"....
, Iniesta has been one of the most consistent performers in the last two seasons of Primera Division, placing fifth in 2006–07, and fourth in 2007–08 on their annual rating system Ranking Don Balón. He also placed 9th in the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year
2008 FIFA World Player of the Year
The 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year awards took place on 12 January 2009 at the Zurich Opera House, Zürich, Switzerland, with Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United and Portugal taking the men's award, and Marta of Umeå IK and Brazil taking the women's award for the third year in a row.Other...
voting, gaining 37 total points. Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
, Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o Fils is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala. He is also the current captain of the Cameroon national team.Eto'o trained at Kadji Sports Academy...
and Xavi also featured in the top ten.
2008–09
In September 2008, after the departure of former vice-captain RonaldinhoRonaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
to Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
, the Barcelona squad decided on its new team captains. Iniesta was named fourth-choice behind, in order of preference, Carles Puyol
Carles Puyol
Carles Puyol i Saforcada is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team.Mainly a central defender, he can also play on either flank, especially as a right back...
, Xavi
Xavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
and Víctor Valdés
Víctor Valdés
Víctor Valdés i Arribas is a Spanish football goalkeeper who currently plays for FC Barcelona in the Spanish La Liga.He is the most successful goalkeeper in Barcelona's history and is widely considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world, having won a total of 17 titles including five...
; all four were products of the Barcelona youth system. In mid-November 2008, Iniesta suffered a leg injury and was expected to return to action in six weeks. Iniesta, however, did not want to come back until he was 100 percent and finally returned to action on 3 January 2009 as a 65th minute substitute against RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
. After only 10 minutes he scored a crucial goal and completed a Barcelona comeback in front of the Camp Nou
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
. His performances in the 2008–09 season have been highly lauded, receiving standing ovations both in Barcelona at the Camp Nou, as well as from rival supporters in away matches.
On 5 February, Iniesta made his 250th appearance for Barcelona in the Copa del Rey
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
match against Mallorca. Iniesta once again got injured in Barcelona's home match against Málaga CF
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
, but returned to action for the first leg Champions League quarter-final clash against Bayern Munich, which Barcelona won 4–0.
Former teammate Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o Fils is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala. He is also the current captain of the Cameroon national team.Eto'o trained at Kadji Sports Academy...
described Iniesta as being "the best player in the world; whenever Iniesta is on the pitch, he creates a spectacle."
Iniesta scored a vital equaliser from outside the penalty area in the final minute of stoppage time during the second-leg of the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, securing the tie on away goals as the match finished 1–1. In his diary of the season, Un Any Al Paradis, he wrote "I connected with that shot with the outside, not the inside or the tip of my boot, but right from my heart, with all my might."
This goal sent Barcelona through to the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final
2009 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was played on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match determined the winners of the 2008–09 season of the UEFA Champions League, a tournament for the top football clubs in Europe. The match was won by Barcelona of Spain, who beat England's...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
against defending champions Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. Prior to the final, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
said: "I'm not obsessed with Messi, Iniesta is the danger. He's fantastic. He makes the team work. The way he finds passes, his movement and ability to create space is incredible. He's so important for Barcelona." Despite a thigh injury, Iniesta played and was influential in the game, providing the assist for the first goal scored by Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o Fils is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala. He is also the current captain of the Cameroon national team.Eto'o trained at Kadji Sports Academy...
as his team went on to win 2–0; in his analysis, David Pleat
David Pleat
David John Pleat is an English football player turned manager and sports commentator.He is remembered by his contemporaries primarily for his career as manager of Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town football clubs, and for an oft-televised clip of him running onto the pitch in 1983 to celebrate after...
wrote, "In the end the midfield artistry of Iniesta and Xavi, helped by Messi, was the critical factor". After the game, Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
described Iniesta as the best player in the world.
Don Balón
Don Balón
Don Balón was a Spanish weekly sports magazine specialising in Spanish and international football. It was distributed on five continents....
rated him as the most consistent performer in the 2008–09 La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
season, ahead of team-mates Xavi
Xavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
and Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
.
2009–10
On 18 October, Iniesta was included in a list of 30 candidates for the prestigious Ballon d'OrBallon d'Or 2009
The 2009 Ballon d'Or, given to the best football player in the world as judged by an international panel of sports journalists, was awarded to Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona on 1 December 2009....
, given to the top player of the year in Europe, along with teammates Xavi
Xavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
, Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
, Yaya Touré
Yaya Touré
Gnégnéri Yaya Touré , commonly known as Yaya Touré, is an Ivorian footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Côte d'Ivoire national side...
, Zlatan Ibrahimović
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Milan and the Swedish national team for which he is captain....
, Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
and ex-teammate and current Anzhi Makhachkala striker Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o Fils is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala. He is also the current captain of the Cameroon national team.Eto'o trained at Kadji Sports Academy...
. Andrés was one of five nominations for the World Player of the Year
FIFA World Player of the Year
The FIFA World Player of the Year was an association football award given annually to the male and female player who were thought to be the best in the world, based on votes by coaches and captains of international teams...
award alongside teammates Lionel Messi, and Xavi Hernandez. Proud of the nomination, he commented that "the fans of the team who have always been there to support our team-mates also deserve to be recognised". The ceremony was held in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
and teammate Lionel Messi took home the award. Iniesta placed fifth with
134 votes. He scored his first goal for the season against Racing Santander
Racing de Santander
Real Racing Club de Santander, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santander, in the autonomous community of Cantabria. Founded in 1913, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio El Sardinero, with a capacity for 22,400 spectators....
in a 4–0 win. Iniesta's 2009–10 season was largely disrupted by recurrent injuries. He missed pre-season fitness training due to the thigh tear suffered in the 2009 Champions League final
2009 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was played on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match determined the winners of the 2008–09 season of the UEFA Champions League, a tournament for the top football clubs in Europe. The match was won by Barcelona of Spain, who beat England's...
and this meant that despite featuring in almost as many matches as the previous season, he did so mostly as a substitute, starting only 20 games throughout. Nevetheless, Barcelona once again won the La Liga title securing a record 99 points. His season came to an end after he aggravated a previous calf injury during training.
On 27 November 2009, he made a one-year extension to his Barcelona contract which now runs until 2015; his buy-out clause was raised again from €150 million to €200 million.
2010–11
After being given extended rest by SpainSpain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
coach Vicente Del Bosque
Vicente Del Bosque
Vicente del Bosque González, 1st Marquis of Del Bosque is a former Spanish footballer He is currently the manager of the Spanish national football team. After taking over from Luis Aragonés who had led Spain to European success in Euro 2008, Del Bosque went on to manage the national team to the...
following the World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, Iniesta returned to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
for a pre-season medical on 9 August 2010. Speaking to FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
's website, he said of the message dedicated to Daniel Jarque
Daniel Jarque
Daniel Jarque i González was a Spanish footballer who played as a central defender.Jarque played his entire career with Espanyol, and was named team captain one month before his death from a heart attack, at the age of 26....
revealed during his goal celebration in the World Cup final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
: "I did it because I felt it deeply. It showed that what is more important than rivalry, your team or your colours is to be human and a good person. I am delighted because it was the most important moment in my career." Asked about the recurrent injuries that plagued his 2009–10 season, he said: "It was hard, but I will start with more desire than ever."
Iniesta scored his first goal of the season for Barcelona during the opening La Liga fixture against Racing Santander, lobbing the ball into the net from a distance of 30 yards. He received standing ovations from home fans at El Sardinero
Estadio El Sardinero
Campos de Sport de El Sardinero , is a multi-purpose stadium in Santander, Spain. It is currently used mostly for football matches, holding 22,400 people....
and the Vicente Calderón
Vicente Calderón
Vicente Calderón Pérez-Cavada . He was a Businessman and president of Atlético Madrid for twenty years.-Early life:...
in appreciation of his World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
-winning exploits whilst with the Spanish national team. He also had a standing ovation in the home pitch of RCD Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
in El Derbi, with the crowd acknowledging his friendship with Daniel Jarque
Daniel Jarque
Daniel Jarque i González was a Spanish footballer who played as a central defender.Jarque played his entire career with Espanyol, and was named team captain one month before his death from a heart attack, at the age of 26....
. Barcelona won the match 1–5.
He was one of the three finalists for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or
2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or
The 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or was the inaugural year for FIFA's awards for the top football players and coaches of the year. The award merged FIFA's former World Player of the Year awards with the Ballon d'Or, previously presented by the French media to the top men's player in Europe. The awards...
, alongside Barcelona teammates Xavi and Messi, but came second as Messi won the award.
2011–12
Andrés started the 2011–122011–12 FC Barcelona season
The 2011–12 season is Futbol Club Barcelona's 112th in existence and the club's 81st consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football. Barcelona will be debuting their new and first paid shirt sponsor Qatar Foundation after an agreement was reached in 2010 with the non-profit organization...
season by scoring the opening goal in the second leg of the Supercopa de España
Supercopa de España
The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
against rivals Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
, Barcelona went on to win the match 3–2 and the cup on agg. 5–4
2011 Supercopa de España
The 2011 Supercopa de España was a two-legged Spanish football match-up that was played on 14 and 17 August 2011. It was contested by Real Madrid, the 2010–11 Copa del Rey winners, and Barcelona, the 2010–11 La Liga winners....
.
International career
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
win the UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
European Under-16 Championship, and was in the squad that claimed the UEFA European Under-19 Championship the following year. Since then, he became a regular choice for the then youth coach Juan Santisteban
Juan Santisteban
Juan Santisteban Troyano is a retired Spanish football midfielder and manager.-Player:Real Madrid*Intercontinental Cup: 1960*European Cup: 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60*Spanish League: 1956–57, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1963–64...
. In 2003 he formed part of the Spanish side that reached the FIFA World Youth Championship final in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, and was named in the FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
all-star team. During his spell with the Spain U21s
Spain national under-21 football team
The Spain national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of Spain and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. The team, nicknamed La Rojita , competes in the biannual European Under-21 Football Championship.Following the realignment of UEFA's youth...
side, Iniesta was named captain on several occasions.
Originally a fringe player, he was called up to represent Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
at the World Cup 2006
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
on 15 May 2006, much to the surprise of many. Iniesta won his first cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
when he was brought on at half-time in a friendly against Russia on 27 May 2006.
He scored his first goal for Spain in a friendly against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
on 7 February 2007. His long range effort, hitting the underside of the crossbar on the way in, gave Spain the lead on 63 minutes. Iniesta proceeded to play a pivotal part in Spain's qualification for Euro 2008 by scoring goals against the likes of Sweden and by assisting the strikers. Iniesta usually played in the middle of the pitch, but he was also trusted with roles further up the pitch when Spain was away from home, most notably in the game against Denmark where he was given an advanced left wing position.
Iniesta was selected in Spain's squad for UEFA Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland. Though a stomach virus somewhat hampered his performances in the group stages, he still played an integral part in the midfield. He played in the first two of Spain's group stage matches and proved an important part of the team providing a particularly notable pass for David Villa
David Villa
David Villa Sánchez , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. He can also operate as a winger....
's second goal against Russia. He was not rested, unlike most of Spain's regulars, for the final group game against Greece (which Spain won 2–1 thanks to a fantastic volley from Rubén de la Red
Rubén De la Red
Rubén de la Red Gutiérrez is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a central midfielder.He made a name for himself at Getafe after emerging through Real Madrid's cantera...
and a late winner from Daniel Güiza
Daniel Güiza
Daniel González Güiza is a Spanish footballer who plays for Getafe CF in La Liga, as a striker.A late bloomer, he made a name for himself at the age of 27, being crowned La Liga topscorer with Mallorca...
), and returned for the quarter-final as Spain beat Italy on penalties. Iniesta was substituted before the penalty shoot out itself. In the semi-final against Russia he played the entire 90 minutes and produced a quality cross which Xavi
Xavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
converted to open the scoring. The Technical Study Group named him the Man of the Match.
He played the full duration of the final
UEFA Euro 2008 Final
The UEFA Euro 2008 Final was a football match that took place on 29 June 2008 at the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna, Austria, to determine the winner of the UEFA Euro 2008. Spain defeated Germany 1–0 with a goal from Fernando Torres...
in Spain's
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
1–0 win over Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
. Iniesta was named in the Team of the Tournament alongside fellow Spain midfielders Xavi and Marcos Senna
Marcos Senna
Marcos Antônio Senna da Silva , known as Senna, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Villarreal CF as a central midfielder.He is known for his passing range and long shooting and is also a penalty specialist.-Club career:...
and 6 other teammates.
Iniesta did not participate in the 2009 Confederations Cup
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
in South Africa due to a thigh muscle injury.
He was called for the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, and scored the second goal in a 2–1 win against Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
. He was also named man of the match. For his excellent performances in helping Spain reach the final of the tournament, Iniesta was shortlisted for the Golden Ball award. During the 2010 World Cup he scored the winning goal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
In a 1-0 win against Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
in the 116th minute, removing his jersey during his celebration to reveal an inscription on his undershirt reading "Dani Jarque: siempre con nosotros", which translates to "Dani Jarque: always with us," in tribute of former Spain youth teammate and RCD Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
captain Daniel Jarque
Daniel Jarque
Daniel Jarque i González was a Spanish footballer who played as a central defender.Jarque played his entire career with Espanyol, and was named team captain one month before his death from a heart attack, at the age of 26....
, who passed away of a heart attack in August 2009. He won the man of the match award for his performance which sent Spain to their first ever World Cup win.
Europa Press
Europa Press
The Europa Press was a publishing house founded and run by the Irish surrealist poet George Reavey. The press was based in Paris from its inception in 1932 until 1935, when Reavey moved to London...
reported that Iniesta was the most popular Spanish sportsman on the internet throughout 2010. The study performed by company Vipnet360 examined the web presence on platforms like Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. Iniesta was followed by Iker Casillas
Íker Casillas
Iker Casillas Fernández is a Spanish football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, being the captain of both...
, David Villa
David Villa
David Villa Sánchez , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. He can also operate as a winger....
, Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. , he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals...
, and Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari....
rounding the top 5.
Style of play
Like fellow La Masia graduate Cesc FàbregasCesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
, Iniesta originally started as a defensive midfielder but his balance, ball control and agility allied with his skill on the ball saw him make progress as an attacking midfielder. Beyond his raw talent that was spotted at a young age by FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
's scouts, it was his great versatility, work ethic and inventiveness that allowed him to stake a claim on a first-team place at the age of 18. Vicente del Bosque
Vicente Del Bosque
Vicente del Bosque González, 1st Marquis of Del Bosque is a former Spanish footballer He is currently the manager of the Spanish national football team. After taking over from Luis Aragonés who had led Spain to European success in Euro 2008, Del Bosque went on to manage the national team to the...
described him as "the complete footballer. He can attack and defend, he creates and scores," and Frank Rijkaard
Frank Rijkaard
Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
said "I played him as a false winger, central midfielder, deep midfielder and just behind the striker and he was always excellent." He was used initially as a wide-forward in the absence of Juan Roman Riquelme
Juan Román Riquelme
Juan Román Riquelme is an Argentine footballer who plays for Boca Juniors. A longtime Argentine international, Riquelme is best known for his spells with Boca Juniors and Villarreal...
and Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
by Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal OON is a Dutch football manager formerly in charge of Ajax, Netherlands, Barcelona, AZ and Bayern Munich...
and Rijkaard respectively, but made his name as a world-class player in central midfield alongside or in lieu of Xavi
Xavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
, at both club and international level. As FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
.com says, "It is in this position that his direct style and quick feet can be used to full effect, with the ball seeming glued to his toes as he races into threatening positions. Iniesta is a player known for his passing, dribbling, vision and movement." Much like other Barcelona youth products such as Guardiola, Xavi and Iván de la Peña
Iván de la Peña
Iván de la Peña López is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a central midfielder. During his career, de la Peña earned the nicknames Little Buddha and Lo Pelat due to his shaven head and slight frame....
, Iniesta relies on exceptional creative passing, intuition and inventiveness to control the midfield and dictate the ebb and flow of play. Iniesta has been praised for his understanding and interplay with Xavi; former Barcelona teammate Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Giovanni Christiaan van Bronckhorst OON , known as Gio in Spain, is a retired Dutch footballer of Moluccan descent who served as the captain of the Dutch national team from August 2008 until his retirement....
saying "They have a special relationship, they always have, they just seem to know where the other one is". During his maturation as a player, he has gained a reputation for playing a part in important goals for club and country, specifically playing a leading role in the 2006
2006 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2006 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Barcelona of Spain and Arsenal of England at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris, France, on Wednesday, 17...
, 2009
2009 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was played on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match determined the winners of the 2008–09 season of the UEFA Champions League, a tournament for the top football clubs in Europe. The match was won by Barcelona of Spain, who beat England's...
and 2011
2011 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2011 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played on 28 May 2011 at Wembley Stadium in London that decided the winner of the 2010–11 season of the UEFA Champions League. The winners received the European Champion Clubs' Cup...
UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
finals, as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
and 2008–09 UEFA Champions League and Euro 2008 semi-finals.
His willingness to play anywhere on the pitch has earned him the sobriquet El Ilusionista (The Illusionist), El Cerebro (The Brain), El Anti-Galáctico (a pun on Real Madrid players' nickname Los Galácticos), El Caballero Pálido (The Pale Knight) and most recently Don
Don (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
Andrés from the Spanish press.
Personal life
Since 2008, Iniesta has dated Anna Ortiz, and in September 2010 he confirmed that she was pregnant with his child. On April 3, 2011 she gave birth to their daughter Valeria.Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barcelona B FC Barcelona B Futbol Club Barcelona B is a Spanish football team. They are the reserve team of FC Barcelona. Reserve teams in the Spanish football league system play in the same football pyramid as their senior team rather than a separate league. However reserve teams cannot play in the same division as their... |
2000–01 | 10 | 0 | – | – | – | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2001–02 | 30 | 2 | – | – | – | 30 | 2 | ||||
| 2002–03 | 14 | 3 | – | – | – | 14 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 54 | 5 | – | – | 54!!5 | ||||||
| Barcelona FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.... |
2002–03 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2004–05 | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | – | 46 | 2 | ||
| 2005–06 | 33 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 1 | |
| 2006–07 | 37 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 56 | 9 | |
| 2007–08 | 31 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 1 | – | 49 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09 | 26 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 1 | – | 43 | 5 | ||
| 2009–10 | 29 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 1 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 FC Barcelona season The 2010–11 season is Futbol Club Barcelona's 117th in existence and the club's 79th consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football... |
34 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 9 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 FC Barcelona season The 2011–12 season is Futbol Club Barcelona's 112th in existence and the club's 81st consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football. Barcelona will be debuting their new and first paid shirt sponsor Qatar Foundation after an agreement was reached in 2010 with the non-profit organization... |
8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 3 | |
| Total | 252 | 25 | 36 | 3 | 76 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 375 | 36 | |
| Career totals | 306 | 30 | 36 | 3 | 76 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 429 | 41 | |
International goals
Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first.|-
| 1. || 7 February 2007 || Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
|| || 1 – 0 || 1–0 || International Friendly
|-
| 2. || 28 March 2007 || ONO Estadi, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
|| || 1 – 0 || 1–0 || UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
|-
| 3. || 2 June 2007 || Skonto stadions
Skonto stadions
Skonto Stadium is a football stadium in Riga, Latvia. The stadium has 9,500 seats and was built in 2000. This is the biggest football stadium in Latvia.- Description :Skonto Stadium is located in the heart of Riga - Street E. Melngaiļa 1a, Riga, Latvia...
, Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
|| || 2 – 0 || 2–0 || UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
|-
| 4. || 8 September 2007 || Laugardalsvöllur
Laugardalsvöllur
Laugardalsvöllur is the national stadium of Iceland. It is located in Reykjavík, and seats 9,800 individuals, another 5,627 people can be seated on concrete benches, but due to FIFA restrictions they are rarely used.-Overview:...
, Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
|| || 1 – 0 || 1–1 || UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
|-
| 5. || 17 November 2007 || Santiago Bernabéu
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
, Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
|| || 2 – 0 || 3–0 || UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
|-
| 6. || 15 October 2008 || King Baudouin Stadium
King Baudouin Stadium
The King Baudouin Stadium is a sports ground in north-west Brussels, Belgium. It was inaugurated on 23 August 1930 as the Stade du Jubilé or Jubelstadion in the presence of Prince Leopold. It was built to embellish the Heysel plateau in view of the Brussels International Exposition...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
|| || 1 – 1 || 2–1 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
|-
| 7. || 25 June 2010 || Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Loftus Versfeld Stadium is a rugby and association football stadium situated in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The stadium has a capacity of 51,762 for rugby union and hosted the 2009 Currie Cup final...
, Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
|| || 2 – 0 || 2–1 || 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
|-
| 8. || 11 July 2010 || Soccer City, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
|| || 1 – 0 || 1–0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup Final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
|-
| 9. || 12 October 2010 || Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
|| || 2 – 0 || 3–2 || UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
|-
| 10. || 2 September 2011 || AFG Arena
AFG Arena
The AFG Arena is a multi-use stadium in St. Gallen, Switzerland, completed in 2008. It is used mostly for football matches and hosts the home matches of FC St. Gallen of the Swiss Challenge League. It replaces the Espenmoos stadium....
, St. Gallen
St. Gallen
St. Gallen is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration and represents the center of eastern Switzerland. The town mainly relies on the service sector for its economic...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
|| || 2 – 1 || 2–3 || International Friendly
|}
Barcelona
- La LigaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 2004–052004–05 La Liga2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna...
, 2005–062005–06 La Liga* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
, 2008–09, 2009–102009–10 La Liga- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
, 2010–112010–11 La LigaThe 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División... - Copa del ReyCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: 2008–09 - Supercopa de EspañaSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 20052005 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2005 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 13 and 20 August 2005.It contested by league champions FC Barcelona and cup-winners Real Betis. FC Barcelona won 4–2 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second leg:-References:...
, 20062006 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2006 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 17 and 20 August 2006.It was contested by league champions FC Barcelona and cup-winners RCD Espanyol . FC Barcelona won 4–0 on aggregate.-First leg:...
, 20092009 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2009 Supercopa de España was two-legged Spanish football match-up played on 16 August and 23 August 2009. It was contested by Athletic Bilbao, the 2008–09 Copa del Rey runners-up, and FC Barcelona, the 2008–09 Primera División Winners....
, 20102010 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2010 Supercopa de España was a two-legged Spanish football match-up played on 14 August and 21 August 2010. It was contested by Sevilla, the 2009–10 Copa del Rey winners, and Barcelona, the 2009–10 Primera División winners....
, 20112011 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2011 Supercopa de España was a two-legged Spanish football match-up that was played on 14 and 17 August 2011. It was contested by Real Madrid, the 2010–11 Copa del Rey winners, and Barcelona, the 2010–11 La Liga winners.... - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11 - UEFA Super Cup: 20092009 UEFA Super CupThe 2009 UEFA Super Cup was the 34th UEFA Super Cup, an annual football match between the winners of the previous season's UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions...
, 20112011 UEFA Super Cup-External links:*, UEFA.com... - FIFA Club World CupFIFA Club World CupThe FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
: 20092009 FIFA Club World Cup-Play-off for Quarter-finals:-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Match for fifth place:-Match for third place:-Final:-Scorers:4 goals Denilson...
Spain
- FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
20102010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010... - UEFA European Championship 2008
- UEFA European Under-19 Football ChampionshipUEFA European Under-19 Football ChampionshipThe European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
20022002 UEFA European Under-19 Football ChampionshipThe 2002 UEFA Under-19 Championship was held in Norway between 21 July and 28 July 2002. The top three finishers in each group qualified for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. Players born on or after 1 January 1983 were eligible to participate in this competition.It was the first tournament... - UEFA European Under-17 Football ChampionshipUEFA European Under-17 Football ChampionshipThe UEFA U-17 Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. From 1982 to 2001 it was an Under-16 event.This meeting serves as a preliminary competition for the FIFA U-17 World Cup every other year....
20012001 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship-Group B:---------------------Group C:---------------------Group D:---------------------Quarterfinals:-------------Semi-finals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-References:**...
Individual
- Euro 2008 Team of the tournament
- Euro 2008 Man Of The Match Vs Russia
- Don Balón AwardDon Balón AwardFrom 1976 until 2010, the Spanish magazine Don Balón confered the Don Balón Award to the best Spanish player, the best foreign player, the best referee, and the breakthrough player in La Liga...
for Best Spanish Player of the Year: 2009 - Trofeo Alfredo di StéfanoTrofeo Alfredo Di StéfanoThe Alfredo Di Stéfano Trophy is a trophy awarded by Spanish sports newspaper Marca to the best footballer of La Liga. The award is named after legendary player Alfredo Di Stéfano...
: 2nd best player in La LigaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
2008–09 - FIFPro World XIFIFProThe Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels , usually known by the abbreviation FIFPro, is a worldwide representative organization for professional football players. At the moment there are 43 national players associations who are members of FIFPro...
: 2009, 2010 - La Liga's Best Attacking MidfielderLFP AwardsThe Professional Football League, established in the 2008/2009 season the LFP Awards, the first official awards in the history of the competition....
: 2009LFP AwardsThe Professional Football League, established in the 2008/2009 season the LFP Awards, the first official awards in the history of the competition.... - UEFA Team of the YearUEFA Team of the YearThe UEFA Team of the Year is a football award given by UEFA through a poll on its . This award started in 2001 to allow users and visitors of the organization's website to choose their own eleven players and a coach based on their overall performances in European club football and international...
: 2009, 2010 - Ballon d'Or: 4th Place 2009
- 2010 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
- 2010 FIFA World Cup2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
Man Of The Match vs. Chile2010 FIFA World Cup Group HGroup H of the 2010 FIFA World Cup began on 16 June and ended on 25 June 2010. The group consisted of reigning European champions Spain, Switzerland, Honduras and Chile....
, Paraguay and Netherlands2010 FIFA World Cup FinalThe 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time... - Prince of Asturias AwardsPrince of Asturias AwardsThe Prince of Asturias Awards are a series of annual prizes awarded in Spain by the Prince of Asturias Foundation to individuals, entities or organizations from around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs....
: 2010 - FIFA Ballon d'OrFIFA Ballon d'OrThe FIFA Ballon d'Or is an association football award given annually to the player who is considered to have performed the best in the previous season...
: Second place 2010 - FIFA Puskás AwardFIFA Puskas AwardThe FIFA Puskás Award is an award established on 20 October 2009 by FIFA at the behest of FIFA President Sepp Blatter in order to award the player, male or female, judged to have scored the most aesthetically significant and "most beautiful" goal of the year...
: Second place 2009 - Onze d'OrOnze d'OrThe Onze d'Or is a football award handed out by French magazine Onze Mondial at the end of the year since 1976...
: Third place 2009, Second place 2010 - UEFA Best Player in Europe AwardUEFA Best Player in Europe AwardThe UEFA Best Player in Europe Award is an association football award given to the footballer playing for a football club in Europe that is considered the best in the previous season...
: Fourth place 2011 - ESM Team of the Year: 2011