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Andres Iniesta In Tears As He Bows Out Of His Last World Cup

Andres Iniesta In Tears As He Bows Out Of His Last World Cup

A legend bows out of the international game.

Jacque Talbot

Jacque Talbot

Andres Iniesta was seen in floods of tears after Spain exited the World Cup - and people are just as upset as the great man himself.

Spain have looked jaded throughout the tournament, not like their usual brilliant selves, floating into space and putting on a show of delightful tika-taka football.

No, not here, as they were knocked out of the World Cup on penalties to Russia following a 1-1 draw with the side. In the match, their passing, for the most part, looked thoughtless, a lot of sideways balls without anyone wanting to play that one risky ball that could earn them the win.

Iniesta is a hero to the Spanish national side, and to Barcelona. And now, following Spain's exit from the competition in Russia, Iniesta's last, it feels as though something extra special will be missing from the 2022 World Cup when he's not there.

Tributes have come flooding in for the player now signed to Vissel Kobe.

Iniesta has been at the heart of Spain's dominance in football this past decade. With him leaving, the side losing haplessly to the host's of this summer's tournament, it appears that nation's grip over football may have come so irreversibly loose, that - just as the era of Dutch total football before it - it's now rolling over and a new dynamic will take over.

Which nation's style of play that could be remains to be seen. Perhaps the winner of this World Cup could pave the way in how we think about playing the game, just as Iniesta and Spain had done before.

What's your greatest Iniesta memory? Let us know in the comments section.

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Topics: Football News, Football, World Cup, Spain