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Andres Iniesta quits football at 40

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago05 mins

Legendary former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has confirmed his retirement from football aged 40. Iniesta, who scored the winning goal against the Netherlands in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, burst onto the scene in the early 2000s, establishing himself as a core part of Barcelona’s midfield alongside long-term running buddy Xavi. He became one of the world’s best players, owing to his supreme technical ability, and was rewarded for his talent with endless success at both club and international level. A four-time Champions League and nine-time La Liga winner with Barcelona, Iniesta won the 2008 and 2012 European Championship with Spain, sandwiched either side of an unforgettable 2010 World Cup campaign that saw him break Dutch hearts with a late extra-time winner. Many felt his displays at club and international level would lead to the 2010 Ballon d’Or, but Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi pipped both Iniesta and Xavi to the award – he also finished in third place two years later. Iniesta departed Barcelona in 2018 but continued his career in Japan with Vissel Kobe, staying there for five years before joining Emirates Club, based in the United Arab Emirates, for a season. In an emotional announcement confirming he is stepping away from the game, Iniesta said: “I never thought this day would come. I never imagined it. All these tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion, of pride. They are not tears of sadness. They are tears of that boy from Fuentealbilla, who had the dream of being a footballer and we achieved it after a lot of work, sacrifice… of never giving up, essential values in my life. “I feel very proud of this journey, with all the people who have accompanied me.” He continued: “I feel very happy to have achieved my dream. My sporting career has been like a fairy tale because I have experienced the best at a professional level. Let’s go through it. It starts on the track in my town, at school, and with all the trips to Albacete. My first steps were there. “I remember that stage as very happy. I remember watching Alba in the First Division. Although I never played professionally for Alba, I have always had two teams: Albacete and Barça. My land is in my heart.” “The journey of my life is Fuentealbilla-Barcelona. I am lucky to have the four people who made that trip with me. My parents, my grandfather and I. It is very nice that today we are together again at such a special moment. That journey involves everything: work, sacrifice, humility… La Masia changed me forever. It is the best place where I could be to enhance the values that must be had in life. And I am grateful to all the people, teachers, teammates… it is a stage that undoubtedly marked our lives. “Coming to Barca was a dream, which I focused on to fulfil. That effort, coming to Barcelona at 12 years old with everything that meant, could not divert my focus from what I had. I arrived at the best place to fulfill my dreams that lay ahead.”

Anthony Joshua issues statement on retirement

Prince Odutola3 months ago3 months ago05 mins

Anthony Joshua still believes he can become a three-time heavyweight champion despite being knocked out by Daniel Dubois. Joshua was attempting to win a world title for the third time when he challenged Dubois at Wembley on Saturday night – but he was dropped three times before being stopped in the fifth round. Joshua then insisted he would not retire after suffering his fourth career defeat – and has now said he is confident he can still win back his crown. “We came up short but we’ve got to look at all the positives,” he said in a video posted to social media. “That’s the mindset and that’s the perspective we’ve got to have; a positive one always. Look at what we’ve achieved in the last 11 years, its phenomenal and i want to thank every single one you who has been riding with me. “What a rollercoaster journey, but you know what the problem is, it’s far from over yet. We’ve done it once, we’ve done it twice and doing it a third time hasnt been easy bit its something I can achieve, it’s about making the right steps forward, working hard and improving. It’s got to come from the heart more than anything. It can’t come from any external voices or influences; it’s got to come form the heart. “It’s only been a day but when I sit back and think, i know I’ve got a lot of heart. Thanks for your support, thanks for being on this rollercoaster journey with me. Keep your seatbelt tight because deep, deep, deep down in here I know I’ve got a lot more to bring to the game and long may it continue.” Joshua has a clause in his contract which would allow him to force a rematch with Dubois. And the champion’s promoter Frank Warren is open to a sequel. “I haven’t got a problem with a rematch. If they want to do it, if the terms are all okay and we’ll sit down and talk about it,” he told talkSPORT. “But it’s all too soon to say who he’s going to be fighting next. He needs to now savour the moment. He had some stick in the past from a couple of professionals. Fellow professionals which I thought was a liberty. He’s shown now what he’s all about. He gritted his teeth in that fight. He gritted his teeth in the two fights previous to that when he was an underdog in each of them. Went in with three undefeated fighters, one after the other ranked fighters. He’s had four fights this year against and four of those fights are all world rank, including one champion and one two time former world champion. How many fighters have done that?”