Andres Iniesta: Spain star quits international football after Russia World Cup exit

ANDRES INIESTA has called time on his Spain career after their shock World Cup exit to Russia this afternoon.
Spain captain Iniesta saw his final World Cup outing end in defeat as Russia stunned them to make the quarter-finals of the competition.

Fernando Hierro’s team went in front early on when 38-year-old Sergei Ignashevich put the ball into his net.

Russia rallied, though, through Artem Dzyuba, who converted from the penalty spot after a Gerard Pique handball.

Spain then lost the penalty shootout with Iago Aspas and Koke both denied by Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.

And Iniesta, who scored the winning goal in 2010 against the Netherlands, has now chosen to call it a day.
“This was my last game for Spain,” Iniesta told reporters after the defeat that ended their hopes of winning the tournament.

“A marvellous spell is over. Sometimes the end is not as you dreamed it.”




BBC pundit Cesc Fabregas, who played alongside Iniesta for Barcelona and Spain, has expressed regret over the legend’s final game.

“Russia had a plan, which was exactly that,” he said.
“Go to penalties and pray.

“And it paid off for them and I’m sad because seeing the faces of all my team-mates, some of them big friends of mine.

“Andres Iniesta, his last game probably, for Barcelona, for Spain, now going to Japan.

“He doesn’t deserve to go like this. For me yes (he should have started).”

Source:www.express.co.uk