Barcelona: FC Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta whose contract with he club was due to expire this season has tied down himself in a life-long contract with the Catalan giants, the club confirmed on Friday.
“Andrés Iniesta signed a lifetime contract with FC Barcelona on Friday, in a deal that will keep him at the Club for the rest of his career,” Barcelona said in a statement.
One of the most decorated player of this generation, Iniesta has represented Barcelona in 639 games and has won a mammoth number of 30 trophies, a record he shares with Argentine maestro Lionel Messi.
Born in the Fuentealbilla village of Spain, the 33-year-old joined Barcelona in 1996 at the age of 12. A product of the famed La Masia academy, Iniesta became a national hero when he scored the winning goal for Salon in the 2010 FIFA World Cup against Netherlands.
“This is the club where I grew up and evolved and I feel privileged to be its captain,” said Iniesta talking about his 21-year journey with the club.
He further added, “Today is a very special day for me, one of many here for the simple fact I’m continuing at this place which is my home, which means I can continue to aspire to win things for this club, my club.”
With the deal having no expiry date, it gives the midfield maestro an option to continue with the club as long as he wants and also work in a different capacities in the club after he retires as a player.
Meanwhile this signing is also considered to be a new evolution in the clubs as president Josep Maria Bartomeu said, “After 118 years of history this is the first time the club has given someone a contract for life, this is an exceptional contract for an exceptional player.”