Spain's 2010 hero Iniesta retires from all football at 40

Former Spain star Andrés Iniesta, who scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, has ended his football career for good.

The 40-year-old, a twice European champion and four-time Champions League winner with Barcelona, announced his retirement at a ceremony in the Catalan capital on Tuesday.

"I never expected this day to come, I could never have imagined it," said a clearly moved Iniesta.

"But all the tears of the last few days are tears of emotion or pride, they are not tears of sadness. They are the tears of this boy who had a dream of becoming a footballer and who achieved it after a lot of hard work, effort and sacrifice."

He spent 16 years in Barcelona's first team before leaving for Japan's Vissel Kobe in 2018 and Emirates in the UAE last year.

Iniesta quit the Spain team in 2018 having been part of one of the most successful midfields the game has ever seen.

Ex-Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi wrote on Instagram: "The ball will miss you."