ANDRES INIESTA is still playing football aged 39.
But the beautiful game isn’t the elegant midfielder’s only passion – having bought his own winery.
DREAM TEAM IS LIVE – JOIN NOW TO BATTLE FOR THE £50k TOP PRIZE
Iniesta left boyhood club Barcelona in 2018 after 22 years, 674 appearances and a staggering 32 trophies.
He subsequently joined Japanese side Vissel Kobe, where he believed he would retire.
His passion for the game did not wane, however, and he went on to spend five years in the J-League – adding another couple of trophies to his collection in the process.
After being dropped this season by new manager Takayuki Yoshida, however, Iniesta found himself exiting Vissel Kobe mid-way through the J-League campaign.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
Rather than hang up his boots, he found that his services were still in demand.
An offer was reportedly made by Inter Miami that would have seen him reunite with Barca pal Lionel Messi in the States.
But Iniesta has opted to stay in Asia, signing a one-year deal with Dubai-based side Emirates Club reportedly worth £7million.
He could make his debut for the newly-promoted side on August 19, when they take on Al-Wasl.
Most read in Football
In addition to football, Iniesta also has a passion for wine.
The 2010 World Cup winner originally hails from Fuentealbilla – a Spanish town in the region of Albacete.
While he has made his name in Barcelona and abroad, Iniesta still has roots laid down in Fuentealbilla.
The football legend has built his “Bodega Iniesta” winery in his hometown, which is open for tourists to visit – and sample the goods.
Despite profitability proving to be a challenge in a crowded market – Iniesta has recently invested a further £5m into the project.
This number takes the winery’s total capital to around £11.5m.
When he finally hangs up his boots, Iniesta will be able to spend more time at home and at Bodega.
But after signing for Emirates Club, his enthusiasm to play doesn’t appear to have dampened at all.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
