Iniesta, Emirates Club FC show: “I came here with all the enthusiasm in the world”

“The project they sent me fascinated me and I wanted to contribute, as I did in Japan, my experience and my knowledge to grow the project. Emirates Club FC and help the development of football in this territory. I am very happy to continue doing what I love the most: playing football”. so justified Andres Iniesta (39 years old) in his presentation of his signing for Emirates Club FC of the United Arab Emirates, a choice before other attractive proposals such as some from Saudi Arabia and another from Inter Miami of the MLS, where his friends are active Leo Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba on the orders of Dad Martino. The event took place at the Intercontinental Hotel in Ras Al-Khaimah amid great expectations and the former Barcelona player was surrounded by his family

“I appreciate the interest that many people have had in being able to count on me when I left Japan, but finally here I felt that they want me to be there, I saw a lot of confidence from the president and the club, not only in football level but in every way, and that is important,” he explained.

Andres Iniesta has decided to continue his football career in the Middle East. The footballer joined Emirates Club FC, an entity located in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates that are part of the United Arab Emirates. The 39-year-old Spanish midfielder signed for one season, with another optional season and will play UAE Pro League, the highest category of Emirati football. The debut of Andres Iniesta It is scheduled for August 19, when Emirates Club FC will make their league debut playing at Dubai’s Al-Wasl ground.

iniesta In this way, he achieved his goal of continuing to enjoy football and, with his large family, living a new experience far from Spain.

“For me and my family, this is a new challenge, a new chapter, a new ‘challenge’ in our lives. I came into the world full of energy, just like when I was in Barcelona Or when I went to Japan. I am excited to continue enjoying football”, expressed the fuentealbillavalues ​​the happiness of the family above all: “For me, the family is the most important thing and I know and I am convinced that here we can enjoy this new experience and we can continue enjoying football”.

iniesta gave some clues about his future when he retired as a professional footballer: “There are many other things besides football that I am passionate about, such as training children, growing up in sports, in football. I also have We have our academies and we want that to continue to grow.”

For his part, the club president, Youssef Al Batranassured that “Emirates Club FC is proud to have Iniesta here and I am sure he will be linked to this project for many years”.

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So are the ‘Falcons’

Emirates Club FC is a modest club, founded in 1969, with an ambitious plan to grow and establish itself among the elite of Emirati and regional football. Last season, they were promoted to the UAE Pro League after losing the category the previous year. The coach is Mohamad Jalbot (UAE) and its main footballers are Diego Acosta (Brazil), Frank Kom (Cameroon) and aurochs vitas (Serbian). Emirates Club FC, known as the ‘falcons’, wear the green and white and have two titles to their credit. the Emirates Cup in 2010 and the Emirates Super Cup in 2011. They play their home games at the Emirates Club Stadium, which has a capacity for around 10,000 spectators.

Emirates Club FC will be the third club he plays for Andres Iniesta in his more than 20 years as a professional. From 2002 to 2018 he was an important piece of the best Barça in history and from 2018 to 2023 he was part of the Japanese Vissel Kobe, where he said goodbye on July 1 with an emotional tribute.