Andres Iniesta

Andres Iniesta is a Spanish professional football player who plays for Vissel Kobe. He also played for Barcelona B and Barcelona. He has many UEFA titles and was also named the UEFA Best Player in Europe in 2012. Iniesta has also been named to the UEFA Team of the Year six times in his career.

Player Profile, Personal Life, and Youth Career.

Andrés Iniesta Luján was born on May 11, 1984 in Fuentealbilla, Spain. He stands 171 cm tall. He is married to Anna Ortiz. They have two daughters together. In 2018, he revealed that he suffered from depression just before the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

He began his youth career playing for the local club in his hometown of Albacete. In 1996, he signed with FC Barcelona. His parents knew the coach of Barcelona’s youth team coach.

Professional Career

He started his senior career playing for Barcelona B, making 49 appearances with the team before being promoted to play for the senior team at FC Barcelona where he played from 2002 to 2018. In total, he made 442 appearances for Barcelona, scoring 35 goals.

In addition to his Club Career, he also played for the Spanish National Team and helped them win a number of UEFA titles. From 2004 to 2005, he played for Catalonia but returned to the Spanish team in 2006.

In 2018, after a long career with Barcelona, he signed on to play with Vissel Kobe in Japan. As of 2022, he still plays for the club and has made 110 appearances. In 2019, he helped the team with the Emperor’s Cup and in 2020, the won the Japanese Super Cup.

Career Highlights:

Barcelona

• 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10,

2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16,
2017–18 - La Liga

• 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16,

2016–17, 2017–18 - Copa del Rey

• 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016 -

Supercopa de España

• 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15 -

UEFA Champions League

• 2011, 2015 - UEFA Super Cup
• 2009, 2011, 2015 - FIFA Club World

Cup

Vissel Kobe

• 2019 - Emperor's Cup
• 2020 - Japanese Super Cup

Spain U16

• 2001 - UEFA European Under-16

Championship

Spain U19

• 2002 - UEFA European Under-19

Championship

• 2010 - FIFA World Cup
• 2008, 2012 - UEFA European

Championship

Individual

• 2008, 2012 - UEFA Euro Team of the

Tournament

• 2009 - La Liga Best Spanish Player
• 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 - La

Liga Best Midfielder

• 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014,

2015, 2016, 2017 - FIFA FIFPro
World11

• 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 -

UEFA Team of the Year

• 2009 - Onze de Bronze
• 2010 - FIFA World Cup Dream Team
• 2010–11 - UEFA Champions League top

assist provider

• 2010–11, 2017–18 - ESM Team of the

Year

• 2011 - Onze d'Argent
• 2011 - Marca Legend Award
• 2012 - UEFA Best Player in Europe

Award

• 2012 - UEFA Euro Player of the

Tournament

• 2012, 2013 - IFFHS World's Best

Playmaker

• 2011–2020 - IFFHS World Team of the

Decade

• 2011–2020 - IFFHS UEFA Team of the

decade

• 2013 - FIFA Confederations Cup

Silver Ball

• 2012–13 - La Liga's top assist

provider

• 2014 - Golden Foot
• 2014–15, 2015–16 - UEFA Champions

League Squad of the Season

• 2015 - UEFA Ultimate Team of the

Year

• 2015 - FIFA Club World Cup Bronze

Ball

• 2015 - France Football World XI
• 2015–16 - La Liga Team of the Season
• 2016 - UEFA Euro All-time XI
• 2019, 2021 - J.League Best XI
• 2020 - Ballon d'Or Dream Team

(Bronze)

Decorations

• 2010 - Prince of Asturias Awards
• 2011 - Gold Medal of the Royal Order

of Sporting Merit

• 2017 - Queen Sofia Award
• 2018 - Grand Cross of the Royal

Order of Sports Merit

Team History

National Team

• 2000 - Spain
• 2000–2001 - Spain
• 2001 - Spain U17
• 2001–2002 - Spain U19
• 2003 - Spain U20
• 2003–2006 - Spain U21
• 2004–2005 - Catalonia
• 2006–2018 – Spain