Illusionista

It is not every day that a footballer is born who brings along the whole package, ranging from passion at the deepest levels to pain at his darkest. Born on the ​ eleventh ​ of May, 1984 in Fuentealbilla, Spain, Andrés Iniesta joined FC Barcelona’s youth soccer academy ​ after his discovery by then renowned coach Joan Vilaseca​ . Little did anyone know then that this would mark the start of the making of one of the greatest players to have ever played the sport. He was playing in a tournament in Albacete at the age of ​ ten​ when he managed to grab the attention of FC Barcelona’s executives. His parents and Barcelona’s youth team coach, Enrique Orizaola knew each other, and the coach persuaded his ​ (Iniesta’s)​ parents to enrol him in the youth academy. After a trip to​ La Masia (the club’s academy),​ it was settled.

LIVING THE DREAM

It didn’t take long before Andres Iniesta earned worldwide recognition. ​ He captained his under-15 team in the Nike Premier Cup of 1999 and scored a last minute goal which led

to Barcelona’s inevitable victory​ . In the​ 2004–2005 season,​ he continued to gain more recognition playing as a substitute for the team.​ His reputation further strengthened ​ when he

replaced the injured midfielder Xavi in 2006. Over the years he kept developing and improving his skills. In 2008 he changed his jersey number ​ from 24 to his preferred 8.

THE DOWNFALL

Around 2009, Iniesta’s life took a turn. ​ He suffered a thigh tear​ which prohibited him from playing​ football for six weeks. But unfortunately, the bad omen didn’t end there. In 2009, Iniesta’s close friend, Daniel Jarque, then captain of Espanyol, passed away from a heart attack. ​ Following this, Iniesta developed severe​ psychological instability. ​ He has mentioned he “was in a freefall” and felt unable to go on.​ Even ​ after recovering ​ from his injuries, he still couldn’t bring himself to play as he used to in his prime. Pep Guardiola would tell him to walk away in the sessions whenever he ​ felt ​like it. He was mourning silently, and his teammates were unaware ​ of his​ suffering.

He finally decided to get professional help. He says in his book​ ,

“… there​ are moments when your mind is very vulnerable. You feel a lot of doubts. Every person is different, every case. What I’m trying to say is that you can go from being in good shape to being in a bad way very quickly.”

After several strenuous months, his physical conditions returned to normal, but he was unable to exert himself. He ​ wasn’t able to play like his earlier self​ .

He says,

“People see footballers as different beings as if we’re untouchable as if nothing ever happens to us, but we’re people. Of course, we’re privileged, but in the tangibles, we’re the same.”

RECOVERY

The ​ 2010 FIFA World Cup final​ ​ proved to be​ the light his sad eyes sought. He says in his book: that game pulled him ​out from “a dark place”.​ Late ​ in ​ the night, before the final match, with everyone asleep, he quietly opened ​ his room​ door and without leaving the hotel, set off for a run. Down the corridors, he sprinted until he believed he could do it.

On the 117th minute of the final match​ against the Netherlands, in a historic turn of events, Iniesta scored the ​ only goal ​ and ​ led​ Spain to victory. He ran to the corner, pulling ​ off​ his shirt to reveal the message ​ written in blue​ underneath, “Dani Jarque, always with us”. It was that one goal that kept the fire burning, Iniesta admits that it allowed him to “feel like a footballer again”.

The grey clouds had passed, and Iniesta was back on his feet better than ever before. In 2011–2012 season, he played a record 51 matches unbeaten in La Liga, and by the end of the year,​ he even won a ‘man of the match’ award​ . After ​ a​ heart-wrenching retirement of then captain Carles Puyol and Xavi’s departure ​ in 2015,​ Iniesta became the captain. ​ He won another ‘man of the match’ award for his performance in the 2015 UEFA Champions League final. Now 34 years old, Iniesta played his 674th match in Barcelona on ​ May 20th, 2018​ and made it his last one for the club. He has now signed ​ a three-year contract​ with a Japanese club ​ called ​ Vissel Kobe.

MARRIAGE

On the night of June 23rd, 2007, Anna Ortiz was working in a bar in San Juan covering for her friend. She was told Iniesta ​ would​ be coming ​ in​ that night, ​ but back then,​ she was unaware of who he was. The ​ twenty-three-year-old​ soccer player saw her in the bar, and ​ it was, indeed, love​ at first sight. The next day Anna received a message which read, “Hello, I’m Andres. We met the other night,” which was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.​ Five years later, they got married and had their first ​ child ​ in 2012.

In ​ March of 2014​ , misfortune stung the happy couple like the proverbial scorpion. ​ Anna Ortiz, five months into her second pregnancy, had a miscarriage which led to the death​ of their unborn baby boy. In spite of everything, they ​ were ​ gifted with two beautiful daughters to raise.

The remarkable Spanish football ​ player’s life has been a roller coaster ride.​ Like any human, he ​ has ​ experienced success and defeat and joy and sorrow. He ​ has ​ endured misery and celebrated victory; all of which helped to sculpt a man who people look up to and admire. From playing soccer in ​ the ​ ruined playgrounds ​ of​ Catalonia to becoming one of the best

players in the world, ​ Andres Iniesta is now savouring the last few years of his career. A career​ that has proven his artistry and potential.

“What I do in the stadium, I did on the school playground.What I did at 12, I still do now.”