Andrés Iniesta Luján (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈdɾes iˈnjesta luˈxan]; born 11 May 1984) is a Spanish professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of UAE First Division League club Gulf United. Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, he was lauded for his balance, ball control and agility in close spaces, combined with his skill, composure, and flair on the ball. In addition, he is also one of a select number of players who have amassed over 1,000 career appearances.
Iniesta joined Barcelona's La Masia academy after moving from his birthplace at a young age and quickly emerged as one of the club's prospects. He made his first-team debut aged 18 in 2002 and became a regular during Barcelona's 2004–05 La Liga-winning campaign. The following season, he played a key role as the club achieved a league and UEFA Champions League double. His reputation continued to grow, culminating in a vital role in Barcelona's historic treble-winning campaign in 2008–09. Iniesta was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year in 2009, the first of nine and six selections, respectively. In 2010–11, Iniesta won his third Champions League title as Barcelona completed another domestic double. He won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award in 2012 and was named the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker in 2012 and 2013. In 2014–15, he was part of another treble success.
In total, Iniesta won 33 trophies with Barça, which include nine La Liga titles and four Champions League titles, making him the most decorated Spanish footballer of all time. With the initial management guidance by Pep Guardiola and using the tiki-taka football philosophy, Iniesta was part of a widely lauded midfield combination trio with Xavi and Sergio Busquets; from 2008 to 2015, the trio together were instrumental in Barcelona's on-field successes in seven seasons. After 22 years at Barcelona, Iniesta signed for J1 League club Vissel Kobe in 2018. After leaving the club in 2023, he signed for UAE Pro League club Emirates, eventually retiring in October 2024.
Iniesta played for Spain at the Under-16, Under-19 and Under-21 levels before making his senior debut in 2006. He helped Spain win UEFA Euro 2008, playing every game and being selected in the Team of the Tournament. Iniesta was also a key member of the victorious Spanish team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he scored the winning goal in the final against the Netherlands, for which he was named the Man of the Match, and was selected to the tournament's All-Star Team. His performances in 2010 for both club and country saw him being runner-up to Lionel Messi for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or. At UEFA Euro 2012, Iniesta led Spain to their second consecutive continental crown, again being chosen as the Man of the Match of the final against Italy, and was named the Player of the Tournament. He achieved third place in the 2012 Ballon d'Or. In 2016, he was named in the All-time UEFA Euro XI. In total, he won 131 caps in twelve years as an international.
Iniesta comes from Fuentealbilla, a small village in the province of Albacete, Castile–La Mancha, where he mostly played futsal due to the lack of football pitches in the village. At the age of 12, while playing for Albacete in a junior seven-a-side tournament, he attracted the attention of scouts from clubs around Spain. His parents knew Barcelona's youth team coach, Enrique Orizaola, and he persuaded them to consider sending Iniesta to the Barcelona youth academy. Iniesta traveled there with his parents and visited La Masia, the farmhouse where the club houses its 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 was named player of the tournament. Just after Iniesta arrived at the club, then-captain Pep Guardiola famously told fellow midfielder Xavi: "You're going to retire me. This lad [Iniesta] is going to retire us all."
Iniesta joined the first team during the tenure of Radomir Antić. On 29 October 2002, he made his first team debut in a 1–0 away win against Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League group stage. In the 2004–05 season, he 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 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 UEFA 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 he earned plaudits for his willingness to play in any position for his team. In the pre-season, he lifted the Joan Gamper Trophy as the captain of the team after a 4–0 victory over German side Bayern Munich. Iniesta played for the first time as a left wing-forward for Barça in two Champions League matches against Levski Sofia, finding the net twice. In the first knockout stage of the same competition, he played in central midfield against Liverpool. Despite being moved around the pitch by manager Rijkaard, the 2006–07 season remains Iniesta's highest scoring season.
With the departure of Ludovic Giuly ahead of the 2007–08 season, Iniesta was able to switch his number 24 shirt for his preferred number 8. Despite rumours of a possible transfer before the season, On 25 January 2008, he extended his contract until 2014, with his buy-out clause being raised to €150 million. Don Balón, a member of European Sports Magazines, named Iniesta one of the most consistent performers in the previous two seasons of La Liga; he placed fifth in 2006–07 and fourth in 2007–08. He also placed ninth in the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year voting, gaining 37 total points.
At the start of the 2008–09 season, in September 2008, Iniesta was elected the fourth-choice captain behind, in order of preference, Carles Puyol, Xavi and Víctor Valdés; all four were products of the Barcelona youth system. His performances throughout the season were highly lauded, and he received standing ovations both in Barcelona at the Camp Nou, as well as from rival supporters in away matches. A leg injury sustained in mid-November 2008 left Iniesta sidelined until 3 January 2009; initially expected to return to action in six weeks, he did not want to come back until he was 100 percent. Upon his return to action on 3 January 2009, as a 65th-minute substitute against Mallorca, he scored a crucial goal after just ten minutes on the pitch and completed a Barcelona comeback in front of the Camp Nou. 3 days later, he captained Barcelona for the first time in an official match, a 3–1 victory against Atlético Madrid at the Vicente Calderón in the Round of 16 first-leg of the Copa del Rey.
Iniesta sustained another injury during a home match against Málaga, but returned to action for the first-leg Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on 8 April 2009, which Barcelona won 4–0. He scored a vital equaliser in the final minute of stoppage time during the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea, with a curling strike with the outside of his right foot 25 yards from goal, securing the tie on away goals as the match finished 1–1 at Stamford Bridge. In the season review, Un Any Al Paradis, Iniesta 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."
Iniesta's goal against Chelsea sent Barcelona through to the final in Rome against defending champions Manchester United. Prior to the final, United manager Alex Ferguson identified Iniesta as Barça's biggest threat: "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 [Lionel] Messi, was the critical factor." After the game, United striker Wayne Rooney described Iniesta as the best player in the world.