Andrés Iniesta

Andrés Iniesta joined Barca as a twelve-year-old in 1996 after scouts had spotted him at the Brunette Tournament playing for Albacete.

Profile

A versatile midfielder and permanent fixture in FC Barcelona's side, Andrés Iniesta became an integral part of Luis Aragonés's Spain team during UEFA EURO 2008™ qualification.

• On Barça's books since the age of 12, he played in all but one of 38 games in their 2004/05 Spanish title-winning season.
  
• Stood in for the injured Xavi Hernández as Barça retained the Primera División and won the UEFA Champions League in 2005/06, appearing as a half-time substitute in the Paris final against Arsenal FC.
  
• Won international honours with Spain at Under-16 and U19 levels and was named in the All-Star Team at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Cup where Spain finished runners-up.
  
• First capped for the senior side prior to the 2006 FIFA World Cup and made one appearance at the finals.
  
• Played eleven UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers, scoring three goals including the crucial late equaliser in Iceland.
  
• Took the place of Ronaldinho in the Barcelona side during the second half of the 2007/08 season.

Biography

1984
Born May 11 in Fuentealbilla, Spain.
2001
September: Member of the Spanish team that was eliminated in the first round of the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Trinidad and Tobago.
2003
December: Member of the Spanish team that loses to Brazil in the FIFA World Youth Championship final in Abu Dhabi.
2006
May: Helps FC Barcelona to win double of Spanish La Liga and UEFA Champions League.
May 15: Previously uncapped, he is included in Spain's list for the FIFA World Cup.
August 20: Helped FC Barcelona to won their first trophy of the new season as they defeated Espanyol 3-0 in the second leg of the Super Cup in Camp Nou.
December 17: Played in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2006 as Barcelona is defeated by Brazil's Internacional with a late-goal in Yokohama.
2008
April 29: Member of the FC Barcelona team that lost the UEFA Champions League semifinal against Manchester United, 1-2 aggregate score.
June 26: Was the deserved recipient of the Carlsberg Man of the Match Award after spearheading Spain to their first UEFA European Championship final in 24 years after the convincing 3-0 victory against Russia in the semifinals.
June 29: Won the UEFA Euro 2008 with Spain after defeating Germany 1-0 in the final. In which was perhaphs his best performance at the Euros, Iniesta caused the Germans problems all night with his jinking runs, and intelligent reverse passes.
June 30: Selected by the UEFA Technical Team in the official UEFA EURO 2008 Team of the Tournament.