What happened to Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta and where is he now?
LEGENDARY Barcelona FC footballer Andrés announced his intent to leave his current club in July 2023.
The midfielder has not shared where he will be playing next and speculation is rife.
Who is Andrés Iniesta?
Andrés Iniesta Luján was born on May 11, 1984, in Fuentealbilla, Spain.
He is a professional football player who plays for Vissel Kobe, a J1 league club in Japan.
He has played for Vissel Kobe since 2018, when he transferred from Barcelona.
He played for Barcelona from 1996, first in the youth squad until 2001.
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He was then promoted to the Barcelona reserves where he played from 2001-2003.
He made his debut for the main Barcelona team in 2002 and stayed with the club until 2018.
During his time with Barcelona, he played an integral part in the historic trebles in 2009 and 2015.
He won a total of 35 trophies, including nine La Ligas and four UEFA Championship League titles.
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He was named as the most decorated Spanish football player of all time.
What happened to Andrés Iniesta?
Iniesta announced that he would be leaving Vissel Kobe in July 2023, midway through the J1 season.
In an emotional press conference on Thursday, May 25, 2023, he announced his exit from the club and that he planned to keep playing football, although gave no clues as to where.
After only playing three league matches and two cup games, he has been forced to leave.
When asked about where he will play next he said: "I have to tell you the truth, I don't know."
It has been rumoured that a return to Barcelona was on the cards but this has not been confirmed.
He said: "As I have said many times, I would love to return to Barcelona at some point in my life, but I still think it is far away. I want to keep playing football.
"I feel like I am capable of still playing. But as this chapter closes, we’ll see what’s possible.
"I want to finish my career on the pitch playing, and this is what I’m hoping to do."
Is Andrés Iniesta married and does he have any children?
Andrés married Anna Ortiz on July 8, 2012, after four years of dating.
The couple share five children together, two daughters, born in 2011 and 2017, and two sons, born in 2015 and 2019.
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The couple sadly lost a child, a son, in 2014 after complications during the pregnancy.
The couple then surprised the world and welcomed their fifth child, a girl, in February 2023.