The 40-year-old, who announced his retirement in October, is now setting his sights on a future in coaching.
Iniesta, who enjoyed a distinguished career with Barcelona, made his final appearance in front of more than 45,000 fans at the Tokyo National Stadium. His career saw him win two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup, along with nine La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, earning him a place among the game's greats.
The former Barcelona midfielder made sure he went out on a high note as he delivered a last-minute cross that was turned into the net by the Real Madrid defense, helping the Barcelona side secure a 2-1 victory.
Reflecting on the match, Iniesta expressed his satisfaction with the occasion. “I think it was a great match for the Japanese fans,” he said. “If they went home happy, then I'm very happy.”
Iniesta took the field alongside former Barcelona teammates Xavi Hernández, Rivaldo, Rafael Márquez and Javier Saviola, while Real Madrid included Roberto Carlos, Fabio Cannavaro and Iker Casillas.
“It was very nice to play with Xavi again,” Iniesta noted. “Obviously neither of us are at the same level as we used to be, but a lot of the way we used to connect came back to me during today's match.”
After coming through Barcelona's famous La Masia academy, Iniesta made his first-team debut at the age of 18 and played 674 games, winning a total of 32 trophies with the Catalan club. In 2018, he moved to Japanese side Vissel Kobe, where he spent five years before ending his playing career in the UAE.
As he embarks on the next chapter of his career, Iniesta revealed he plans to stay involved in football. “I'm thinking about getting my coaching license and want to see where my career takes me,” he said.
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