Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has shared a heartfelt tribute to his former Barcelona teammate, Andres Iniesta, who has officially announced his retirement at the age of 40. Iniesta, widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in football history, is set to retire after an illustrious career spanning decades.

Iniesta, who scored the winning goal in Spain’s 2010 World Cup triumph and helped the national team secure two European Championship titles, will hang up his boots on October 8. During his time at Barcelona, he made 674 appearances, clinching nine LaLiga titles and four Champions League trophies. After leaving Barcelona in 2018, Iniesta played for Japanese club Vissel Kobe and most recently for Emirates Club in the UAE.

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In a nod to his iconic number 8 shirt, Iniesta teased his retirement through a video on social media. Responding to the news, Messi took to Instagram, writing: “One of the most magical teammates and one of the ones I enjoyed playing with the most. Andres Iniesta, the ball will miss you, and so will we! I wish you the best, always. You are a phenomenon.”