November 1 – Spanish legend Andres Iniesta who announced his retirement from playing last month, has picked up his first non-playing gig in football as an ambassador for the 2030 Morocco, Portugal and Spain World Cup bid.
“As I said during my retirement ceremony, my experience on the grass is over but I can’t be far from football, it is such a big passion of mine. Being part of this project is an example of this,” said Iniesta.
Iniesta believes it is the commonality between Morocco, Portugal and Spain that makes the bid compelling.
“They are all countries dedicated to football and will take the FIFA World Cup to new levels. The atmosphere during the tournament, and in the years leading up to it, will be captivating for the world,” said Iniesta.
“For fans, it will be extremely appealing, with short distances between venues and very good transport infrastructure. For those watching on television, the time zone of matches will be beneficial to viewers from the Americas and Asia, as well as Europe and Africa. It has every ingredient to be a great success.”
Spain hosted the World Cup in 1982, but Morocco and Portugal have never hosted.
While Iniesta has experienced the legacy of the 1982 World Cup, he believes that the potential for 2030 is even greater and not just in the host nations.
“If successful in being elected as hosts, it would be the first FIFA World Cup to take place across continents, and across such diverse cultures too. That is important to me. Football is a game for everyone, and by showcasing the most important tournament in the world alongside such diversity can only help bring this to life.”
Iniesta has his own special place in World Cup history having scored Spain’s winning goal in the 2010 final.
“The FIFA World Cup 2010 was a particularly impactful moment for me, as I had suffered many injuries in the build up to it. For it to end that way, with my goal in the final, is of course very special, but it was an amazing team effort that got us there. With so many talented players, and so much support from across Spain, we felt like it was our moment. I consider myself very fortunate to have been a part of it,” he said.
Can hosting 2030 have the same impact across a larger part of the world or is it spreading football too thinly? Iniesta argues that creating a larger global impact and involvement beyond just following the matches is the point.
“Football, and the FIFA World Cup in particular, has a tremendous opportunity to inspire positive change across the world. With the ambition of the bid from Morocco, Portugal and Spain, I am convinced that this opportunity will be seized.”
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