Iniesta, Andrés (1984-…), is a Spanish professional soccer player. Soccer is called football in much of the world. For many years, Iniesta was one of the game’s best midfielders and playmakers. In soccer, a playmaker controls a team’s offense, often coordinating scoring chances through precise passing. From 2008 through 2012, Iniesta helped drive the Spanish national team—commonly known as La Roja (The Red)—to three straight major championships. Iniesta—along with teammate Xavi Hernández—is a master of the tiki-taka (or tiqui-taca) play style, which involves short passes and dashing movement. For a discussion of soccer positions and formations, see Soccer (Players and officials).
Andrés Iniesta Luján was born on May 11, 1984, in Fuentealbilla, Albacete. As a youth, he attended Barcelona’s prestigious La Masia soccer academy. He became a professional in 2002.
Iniesta played most of his professional career with FC Barcelona, commonly known as Barça. FC stands for football club. Iniesta first played for La Roja in the FIFA World Cup tournament in 2006. FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football). FIFA is soccer’s world governing body. That same year, Barça won the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League title. The Champions League is an annual tournament among Europe’s top professional clubs. In 2008, Iniesta was a key part of Spain’s first UEFA European Championship since 1964. The European Championship is second in prestige only to the World Cup. Iniesta helped Barça win Champions League titles again in 2009 and 2015.
In 2010, Iniesta scored the winning goal for La Roja in the World Cup final. The team’s 1-0 victory over the Netherlands gave Spain its first World Cup championship. In 2011, Iniesta helped win Barça’s third Champions League title in six years. In 2012, he earned Player of the Tournament honors during Spain’s run to another European Championship title. That same year, he was named the Champions League’s Best Player. Iniesta again played for La Roja in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
In 2018, Iniesta ended his long career with Barcelona and signed a contract to play with Vissel Kobe, a top soccer club in Japan. In 2023, Iniesta signed to play for Emirates Club, a team in the United Arab Emirates.
