Andres Iniesta confirms retirement from International football following Spain's World Cup exit
Andres
Iniesta has confirmed his international retirement after Spain's shock
penalty shoot-out defeat to Russia resulted in their World Cup
elimination. Spain joined the likes of Germany, Portugal and Argentina
in making an early exit when Igor Akinfeev kept out Iago Aspas' penalty
in Moscow.
Iniesta started on the bench on Sunday, coming on midway through the
second half as Spain attempted to retake the lead cancelled out by Artem
Dzyuba's spot-kick, but could not inspire a victory.
And the 34-year-old, who will now join Vissel Kobe after calling time
on his Barcelona career, confirmed he has played his final game for
Spain. "It's a reality that this is my last game with the national
team, on a wonderful stage," Iniesta, who scored the winner in Spain's
World Cup final victory over Netherlands in 2010, said.
"The endings are not always the way we dream. The national team will
continue to be successful because of the level of players we have and
that is what they should try. It would be an advantage to say that
Lopetegui's thing has to do with the result, in the end those of us who
have the ball are the players. The main culprits in football are the
players that are the ones on the field" he said.
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