Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has announced plans to retire at 40 years old, calling time on an illustrious career. Here, we remember his glowing praise of Celtic and one-time teammate Kyogo Furuhashi.
With an honours list that includes nine La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions Leagues, a World Cup and two European championships among many other accolades – collective and personal – the Spaniard is among world football's very best.
Having come through the La Masia youth ranks of Barcelona in the early 2000s, the midfielder spent 16 years at the Nou Camp, before moving to Japan to play for Vissel Kobe between 2018 and 2023.
Last year, Iniesta spent a single season at UAE Pro League outfit Emirates before his contract expired.
As per the Relevo (via the Daily Mail), Iniesta is set to confirm his retirement next week on October 8 – an apparent nod to the shirt number he wore throughout his career.
While playing in Japan, Iniesta played alongside Celtic's current No.8, Kyogo, and hailed the striker ahead of his move to Glasgow's east end in 2021.
Speaking to Yahoo Japan at the time, Iniesta said: "I had the opportunity to play with the best players. For example, Samuel Eto’o, [Thierry] Henry, Luis Suarez, David Villa, Fernando Torres.
"I had a pretty good connection with Kyogo (Furuhashi) in Japan. The important thing is to get to know each other and when to unmark and make a pass, and the forwards strengthen the midfielders."
Read more:
- As two legends move on, here's what they said about Celtic Park
- As Rooney makes Celtic wish, here's what he said about Celtic Park
Having played at Celtic Park on a number of occasions over the years, Iniesta has always held the atmosphere at Paradise in high regard.
To this end, he once said: "I’ll never forget playing against Celtic, either. The atmosphere is one of the best in the world.
"I was fortunate to play there several times and it was always so intense. It was an honour to play amid such incredible noise."
