It seems that a symbol for Spanish football fans is retiring. According to ‘Relevo’, Andres Iniesta, the scorer of the most important goal in the history of the country, has decided to hang up his boots and will announce it on 8 October.

On Tuesday 8 October, Andres Iniesta will announce that he is leaving professional football at a ceremony in honour of his lifelong dorsal number. This is what ‘Relevo’ reports, which assures that the midfielder has already made his decision and his staff is preparing a tribute to one of the most important players in the history of Spain.

From his boots came the most decisive goal of the Spanish national team. The one that united an entire country in a cry for a goal that will always be remembered. Andres Iniesta volleyed that ball in Johannesburg on 11 June 2010. The strike with which Spain became world champions against the Netherlands.

Iniesta had been training and looking for a new team to extend his career beyond the age of 40 since the end of his contract with the Emirates Club in Dubai, but on reflection he has decided it is time to call it a day. Twenty-three seasons after making his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2002, the legend is hanging up his boots.

The change of mind can be seen in the fact that a few weeks ago he said at an event in Barcelona that he wanted to continue. “I feel that I would like to continue playing football. Until I feel that the time has come for me to stop, I will try to play. I would also like to get my coaching qualification and see what the future holds,” said the player from Fuentealbilla.

Halfway through 2023 he played his last game for Vissel Kobe and left for the Emirates Club, where he made 23 appearances, scoring five goals and providing one assist this past season, which ended on 1 June with the Emirates team’s relegation. Having now made 832 appearances in professional club football and another 131 for the Spanish national team, Andres Iniesta has decided to keep the ‘8’ in the locker. That number that symbolises infinity, where the memory of the man applauded by all the stadiums in Spain will live on.