ANKARA 

Former world champion and Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta hinted at retirement from professional football on Monday.

Spain’s Iniesta, who last played for Emirates Club in the UAE, has shared an emotional video on X, where he was filmed in tears as the 40-year-old midfielder discussed what football means to him.

In the video, many important football managers who shaped Iniesta's club and Spanish national team career, including Pep Guardiola, Louis van Gaal, Luis Enrique, and Vicente del Bosque, paid tributes to him.

The poignant video has a banner that read: "The game continues 8.10.2024 (Oct. 8).”

A Barcelona product, Iniesta played for the Spanish giants from 2002 to 2018 to win the UEFA Champions League four times and secure nine Spanish La Liga titles.

He also bagged FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup trophies at Barcelona.

Iniesta scored 57 goals and made 135 assists in 674 matches for Barca.

Then he played for Japan's Vissel Kobe, and Emirates Club.

In the 2010 FIFA World Cup final against the Netherlands, Iniesta scored the winning goal for his nation in the extra time as Spain were crowned the world champions over a 1-0 win in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Iniesta also helped Spain win back-to-back EURO titles in 2008 and 2012.