• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
The eight words Lionel Messi would say to Andres Iniesta in difficult games

Home> Football> La Liga> FC Barcelona

Published 10:30 1 Oct 2024 GMT+1

The eight words Lionel Messi would say to Andres Iniesta in difficult games

Messi opened up on what makes Iniesta such a special player.

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Lionel Messi would often make a beeline for Andres Iniesta when things got "difficult" on the pitch – and it sums why he was such a special teammate.

Iniesta, 40, is expected to announce his retirement from football at an event on October 8 – the shirt number that accompanied him for the majority of his professional career.

That's according to Spanish publication Relevo, who suggest the former Spain international has been in Dubai with his family, training and keeping fit in order to try to find a new adventure.

Advert

Only a few weeks ago, Iniesta opened up on his desire to keep playing. "I feel like I would like to continue playing football until I feel that the time has come for me to stop," he said.

But it appears the curtain will fall down on a trophy-laden career this month.

As well as his goal in the 2010 World Cup final, Iniesta will be remembered most for his 22-year spell at Barcelona, where he shared the pitch with some of the all-time greats, including Lionel Messi.

Messi was one of the midfielder's biggest advocates. In an extract from the book The Artist: Being Iniesta, he discussed his unique relationship with Iniesta, as well as his talents on the pitch.

Advert

"I always picture him with the ball at his feet," Messi said. "That's the way I have got used to seeing him. He does everything well, with simplicity.

"At times, it may look like he's not doing anything, but in fact he's doing it all. Everything is different with Andrés. The hardest thing to do in football is to make it look like everything is easy, effortless, and that's Andrés."

Image credit: Getty
Image credit: Getty

Messi also gave an insight into what he would say to Iniesta if the team were struggling in a game.

Advert

"On the pitch, I like him to be near me, especially when the game takes a turn for the worse, when things are difficult. That's when I say to him: 'Come closer, I want you by my side.'

"He takes control and responsibility; he leads the team. In the finals, Andrés, Xavi, Busquets and I have always liked to come together to give us a numerical advantage, to control the ball and the game."

Messi added: "We've experienced very happy moments together and I particularly remember an emotional embrace at the Bernabeu after a goal. That was a lovely gesture from him."

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images

Topics: Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta

Jack Kenmare
Jack Kenmare

Jack is a Senior Journalist who enjoys a long read. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of Football Manager wonderkids from 2005 to the present day, and has interviewed a handful of FM's finest, including Freddy Adu, Supat Rungratsamee and Mika Aaritalo.

X

@jackkenmare_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

26 mins ago
an hour ago
11 hours ago
14 hours ago
  • 26 mins ago

    John Terry destroys the state of modern football and names two players from his era that would never make it now

    The former Chelsea and England defender has claimed that football has become 'boring'.

    Football
  • an hour ago

    Evangelos Marinakis' immediate reaction to Morgan Gibbs-White transfer saga emerges as Nottingham Forest consider legal action

    Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is unhappy with Tottenham's pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White.

    Football
  • 11 hours ago

    FIFA has banned five football kits for life that you'll never see again

    Club World Cup finalists Chelsea and PSG have been hit by FIFA’s ban on sleeve advertising rule

    Football
  • 14 hours ago

    Xabi Alonso has found the next Florian Wirtz for Real Madrid without spending anything

    The new Real Madrid boss may have uncovered a gem in the squad who could be the next Florian Wirtz.

    Football
  • Lionel Messi said the same eight words to Andres Iniesta whenever a game got difficult and it almost never failed
  • Lionel Messi didn't hesitate when naming the most 'magical' teammate of his legendary career
  • What happened to the 25 players Bleacher Report tipped to be the 'next Lionel Messi' back in 2010
  • Lionel Messi named the one and only teammate in his career who 'knows him to perfection'