The hero of Spanish football, the one who heard the silence at the supreme moment, recalls, 16 years later, the feat of the Johannesburg final and calls for a companion in the national team’s hall of fame. Andrés Iniesta (Fuentealbilla, 1984), from Dubai, where he lives and is about to debut next week as a coach, responds to EL MUNDO’s request to analyze tomorrow’s final.
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Question. 16 years later, Spain returns to the final. That long journey confirms how difficult it is to reach a World Cup final.
Answer. Of course. And if you look at it in perspective, there are teams, the vast majority, that have not reached any final during this period. It is long, of course. But, at the same time, it shows us the difficulty of experiencing matches of this magnitude. It is complicated because it is the elite taken to the highest expression and here you already know that any detail can cost you a match.
Q. The 2010 champion team had enormous talent; the current one stands out for its boldness. Thanks to you, they have grown knowing that anyone can be beaten. In a way, you are their teachers, right?
A. I believe we are all part of what has been the past of the various teams that preceded us. For us, who had the privilege of winning that World Cup, it was our responsibility to gather all the influences of those teams that came before. They did not have that possibility, but they created with their previous work the conditions for us. That is what happened with Luis, the coach. And then, it was repeated with Vicente [Del Bosque]. They are part of our history, which is formed by the common contribution. And now the same happens with this team. Each one, of course, with its own nuances that make it different.
“You need to build a football identity, and Spain has had that for some time. But what makes you different and truly unique is the group”
Q. What technical differences and similarities do you find between that champion team and the current one?
A. I don’t like to compare. They are two great teams, with great players, otherwise it is impossible to reach a World Cup final. And both have shown that talent is fundamental, but for me, work, dedication, and passion that we showed and they are showing now are much more important.
Q. Then and now, the important thing was the unity of the group and solidarity, right?
A. Of course. You don’t win a World Cup with just one person. Far from it. It’s impossible. You need to build a football identity, and Spain has had that for some time, but what makes you different and truly unique is the group. The strength of the group. Knowing you have a teammate by your side to help you at the key moment. Knowing they will make one more effort so the team reaches its goal. That is the key that allows you to achieve success.
Q. In that goal of yours in the final, you heard the silence. Who would you like to hear the silence again in Sunday’s final?
A. Any of the Spaniards. I don’t care. The important thing is to score the goal and that they can feel that indescribable sensation that I experienced. As I have always said, we all scored that goal.
Q. The goal in the South Africa final marked your life. You will always be remembered as an icon of Spanish football. Is it difficult to carry that responsibility?
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A. Difficult, no, but you must be aware of what you are and what you represent. I, as in my entire career, try to carry it with naturalness and humility. To be what I have always been. No more, no less.
Q. Spain controls the game more than Argentina, but Scaloni’s team has a lot of courage. What result do you predict for tomorrow’s final?
A. It is impossible to predict anything. A final, like any football match, is exposed to many small details that can determine the result. And on Sunday, even more so because you depend not only on the game but on emotional issues.
Q. Where will the key to the final be?
A. Who knows? The only thing I know is that Spain must be faithful to the identity and style that has brought it there. That is the path that can give it the title.
“We are a football team that has something that, in the end, is magical. Making millions of people happy. That is priceless”
Q. You had Messi as a teammate. He is a unique genius, but better if he doesn’t win Sunday’s final, right?
A. I think Leo will understand me. Spain plays, my country, my people play, my teammates play. It is a unique match and I would love these players to have the chance to live what we lived.
Q. In Spain, people are crazy about the national team and take to the streets to celebrate victories. Is the national team the great element of unity in the country?
A. The national team represents a country. And we all want Spain to win. We are a football team that has something that, in the end, is magical. Making millions of people happy. That is priceless.
Q. You are one of the sponsors of the NSN cycling team, which races the Tour de France, and next week you start a new stage as a football coach in Dubai. How do you face the challenge of coaching Gulf United FC?
A. Very excited. I am still in training and I am enjoying the journey a lot. Now it is time to put into practice everything we have learned throughout my life and go step by step, doing things my way and in the best possible way.
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