Andres Iniesta has officially become a member of Emirates Club in the United Arab Emirates Pro League, signing a one-year contract.
The esteemed 39-year-old figure from Spain and Barcelona arrived in Dubai on Monday in preparation for finalising his agreement.
The experienced midfielder will retain the possibility of prolonging his tenure with the club until June 2025.
Iniesta, who spent the past five seasons competing in Japan for Vissel Kobe, now joins the Emirates Club as a free agent.
His primary motivation is to secure more opportunities on the field, especially after accumulating just 94 minutes of gameplay throughout his 18 appearances with Kobe during the previous season.
“There was difficulty in not being picked to play after putting my heart into training,” Iniesta said last month after playing his last game for Vissel Kobe. “I’ve experienced a lot of things over these five years, which is a long time.”
Iniesta scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2010 World Cup final.
He was also a key part of Spain’s two European Championship wins, in 2008 and 2012.
Iniesta began his career at Barcelona and won nine league titles and four Champions League among other trophies in his 16 seasons at the club.