Latest news with #AndrésIniesta
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Andrès Iniesta backs 'special talent' Luis Enrique in Champions League final
Andrés Iniesta delivered the Champions League trophy to Munich before the final between Inter and Paris Saint-Germain at the Allianz Arena. Speaking about former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, Iniesta said: 'For me, he is a spectacular person, a coach with a special talent.' He added: It makes me happy, especially for him being in a situation like this, beyond winning or not winning the final.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
🏆 Andrés Iniesta helps deliver the Champions League trophy to Munich
Barcelona and Spain legend Andrés Iniesta has helped deliver the Champions League trophy to Munich ahead of this weekend's hotly-anticipated final. Iniesta, who won the tournament four times as a player with the Blaugrana, was on hand to deliver the famous old trophy to the German city on Thursday. The veteran midfielder was working alongside FedEx and delighted fans at the UEFA Champions Festival in Olympiapark München. Together, they presented a spectacular Walk of Champions parade celebration to welcome the UEFA Champions League trophy to the host city, ahead of the world's most watched club football final. The communities, including International Football Club of Bern, DFI Football Academy and UEFA Foundation for Children's, SCORING GIRLS* completed the parade, taking part in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at the UEFA Champions Festival to walk alongside European football royalty. 'It's been an incredible experience to be a part of the FedEx UEFA Champions League Trophy Delivery this season," Iniesta said. "I've felt honoured to be able to deliver success in all the communities we've visited, and to bring everybody together for a celebration of the Trophy delivery has been incredible. "I will remember this experience for a long time and hope it can inspire the communities to deliver success in the future.' With the help of the FedEx courier, the former FC Barcelona star navigated the lively walkways of Olympiapark, successfully delivering the UEFA Champions League to the Champions Pitch and placing it onto the trophy plinth in full view of an excited crowd, who erupted with cheers at the sight of Europe's most treasured piece of football silverware. Andrés Iniesta accompanied FedEx in collecting the UEFA Champions League trophy from UEFA headquarters in Switzerland last week and continues to support FedEx as the trophy moves through Munich, before arriving at the Munich Football Stadium on Saturday, in time for the UEFA Champions League Final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
⭐️ Iniesta with OneFootball: Barça, new Champions League, life now
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. The Barcelona and Spanish football legend shared a very heartwarming moment in the 'Scoring Girls' project, thanks to FedEx. Advertisement Andrés Iniesta stars in FedEx's content series, Delivering For Success, ahead of the UEFA Champions League final on May 31 in Munich. He knows perfectly well what it means to win the Champions League, and to do so with decisive goals. Surrounded by green, footballs, the Champions trophy in the background, and for a good cause, Andrés Iniesta spoke to OneFootball and left us with several headlines. With the 'Scoring Girls' initiative by FedEx, the aim is to give visibility to young women in the world of football, and Iniesta couldn't be happier with the project: "I am very happy to be a part of it and to enjoy football with them. Football continues to be a great connector no matter where you are from, and I am delighted that they can contribute their grain of sand." Three of these young football promises will also have the fortune of being an important part of the upcoming Champions League final in Munich. On this, Iniesta is clear: "It's about enjoying the moment, what they are going to experience at the final is something exceptional and they will always remember it. A final like this doesn't happen every day and it will be very special for them." Iniesta ended his playing career just a few months ago, but he doesn't want to waste any time and is already training to become a coach, and things are going well: "I started a few months ago, I've taken the first step and now it's time to learn, listen, watch, and train myself in this. I don't have a very specific goal, just the focus of moving forward." Advertisement Being able to receive advice from someone like Andrés Iniesta, whether you're an older player or a child, is something that can be worth its weight in gold: "It's something we've been doing at our academy and when it comes to boys and girls, it's always nice to try to pass on what you've experienced and how you understand football." With the Champions League in the background, it was only natural to ask him about the new format, which has caused some controversy: "It's a format that has brought different situations, many goals, and from there it moves into the usual phase. It has an attractive component that makes you enjoy it." But of course, Iniesta is well aware of current events, and as a Barça legend, he continues to closely follow the great season Flick's team is having. Advertisement It's inevitable to talk about the work of Hansi Flick, who in his first year at Barça has achieved a domestic treble and is doing something incredible, even for a legend like Andrés: "A lot of good and positive things are being conveyed, the work is sensational and hopefully they can win titles, that's the goal a club like Barça sets for itself." 📸 Judit Cartiel - 2025 Getty Images When it comes to talking about the players who have stood out in this Champions League, Iniesta looks to his roots, as La Masía once again demonstrates its level, with players like Lamine Yamal destined to lead the project. (Cover and content photos: FedEx)
USA Today
29-04-2025
- USA Today
Cheering and clapping erupts as Madrid neighborhood lights up after power outage: See video
Cheering and clapping erupts as Madrid neighborhood lights up after power outage: See video Show Caption Hide Caption Watch Madrid residents react to power being restored Madrid residents cheered as power was restored after a massive outage affected parts of Spain and Portugal. A video captured residents cheer and clap as power was restored to a neighborhood in Madrid following a 9-hour outage in most of Spain and Portugal. "The lights returning in the Pilar neighborhood is celebrated more than a goal from Iniesta," the caption for the video posted to X, formerly Twitter, said in Spanish, referring to Spanish soccer player Andrés Iniesta. In the video, as buildings in the neighborhood begin to light up one by one, people can be heard cheering, screaming and clapping after the worst power outage in Spain and Portugal's history brought the countries to a standstill. The video showed the lights returning on Monday at 9:46 p.m. local time, following the power outage that began at 12:30 p.m. local time the same day. As power returned, traffic lights, trains and the metro station's services slowly returned with it, reported Reuters. Watch the joyful moment in the video at the top of the story. What happened with Spain and Portugal's power? On Monday, at around 12:30 p.m., the "entire national electricity grid was cut off," according to Renfe, Spain's national railway company. The cause of the blackout is unknown, but officials are now investigating to see if a cyberattack against Spain's critical infrastructures could be the culprit of the power outage, Spain's High Court said on Tuesday. If a cyberattack is to blame for the loss of power, Judge Jorge Calama would then investigate the case as a potential act of terrorism, according to court documents. Contributing: Reuters; Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn,X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@
Forbes
19-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Barcelona To Business: Andrés Iniesta On His Goals Post-Soccer
Andrés Iniesta has stayed close to the grass since hanging up his cleats six months ago. The World Cup winner has already taken his brains in the Spain and Barcelona midfield to the board level of a club in Denmark. And after forging links to the wine trade and industry outside, he's championing small to medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, in the soccer sphere. On transferring from the field to functions and events, Iniesta told me in a written interview, 'They're two different worlds, but of course, they have lots in common—being balanced, analyzing every scenario, and acting with judgment and common sense. That's what it was like on the pitch, and it's also now the case when it comes to management away from football. 'You need to have passion for everything you do. Without that passion, nothing works. It's the engine that drives everything.' Regarding the mentioned SMEs, the Spaniard is the face of a newly launched Champions of Business list—created by U.S. multinational conglomerate FedEx—that celebrates enterprises, perhaps lesser-known, impacting the sport. These include a Czech venture linking scouts with easy-to-miss talents and a Dutch service converting food waste at stadiums into clean energy and natural fertilizer. Of course, plenty of brands vie to be the next hit in the sports arena, either helping the elite teams and players make marginal gains or tackling issues. For Iniesta, wanting to maximize artificial intelligence and connect with fans in his work, backing these projects is meaningful. 71% of soccer clubs believe SMEs provide significant value, according to research assisted by the Financial Times, hinting the way forward. 'Without them, the sports industry can't thrive, and each process slows down,' Iniesta says, expanding, 'It's essential they receive the necessary support to make progress because these small and medium-sized enterprises have the talent right at their fingertips.' Above all, Iniesta—earlier this month reminiscing about his heroics against Chelsea before battling through an injury scare during Barça's Champions League final win over Manchester United in 2009—was a pure player. Yet all the commercials and campaigns have long seemed worthwhile rather than just an obligation. Naturally, the most marketable stars are well-poised to make a difference. More than selling goods, that involves spotlighting controversies and causes, which could prove pivotal before and during mega events like the next FIFA World Cup tournaments. The relationship between the game and life close by is tight. 'In the sports industry, it's fundamental to connect with brands. Practically, that way of thinking has been clear to me since I started my playing career,' the 40-year-old says. 'It goes beyond the economic impact because it also has a social force—you reach many areas through these collaborations.' Although the La Roja hero spent the lion's share of his competitive years in Catalunya, he's also sampled the sport in Asia and the Middle East with Vissel Kobe (Japan) and Emirates Club (United Arab Emirates). He suggests having the inside track gives him, plus fellow pros, an advantage heading into soccer-related roles. 'Our grounding as players is fundamental to understanding what goes on in the sports business. We've experienced it from within, and that's something that not everyone can feel, which means that we have a different view that can help us to be innovative. You learn from the past to build something new in the future.' For Iniesta, having starred in over a thousand recognized matches, that's very much his bearing on soccer these days—whether at the forefront or helping fresh concepts break into the game.
