Spain legend Iniesta retires after 'saddest day'
Moscow, July 2 : A Spain legend Andres Iniesta announced his retirement from international football here on Sunday after their shocking loss to hosts Russia in the pre-quarterfinals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
"It's a reality that today is my last match with the national team. At the individual level, a wonderful stage ends," the hero of Spain's only World Cup championship in 2010 told reporters at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, reports Efe.
"It's a shame we couldn't go through. Penalties are cruel. The guilty ones are always the players and everyone of us is responsible," he added.
"Overall it's probably the saddest day of my career. I leave with a bad taste in my mouth.AIt's tough for everybody, the 34-year-old midfielder said, acknowledging his disappointment about losing to underdogs Russia on penalty kicks.
With 13 goals in 131 appearances for Spain, Iniesta was a vital part of the La Roja side that claimed the 2008 and 2012 European Championships as well as the 2010 World Cup, where he scored the winning goal.
Iniesta declined to second-guess coach Fernando Hierro's decision to leave him on the bench until past the one-hour mark of Sunday's match.
"The coach is the one who makes the decision, beyond whether one agrees or not," Iniesta said. "At the end, the coach looks at what's best for the team, and that's how I understood it," he added, reports Xinhua news agency.
Iniesta said the players could not blame turbulence off the pitch for their failure to live up to expectations. "It would be wrong to say that (coach Julen Lopetegui's) dismissal was fundamental," he said.
"Everything has its importance. But in the end, we are the ones who have the ball."
Iniesta, who will play for Japanese club Vissel Kobe next season after ending his 22-year FC Barcelona career in May, is confident Spain can rebuild ahead of the next World Cup in Qatar.
"There are players around, they just have to find a path to success," he said. "It's not easy and harder than it appears. But the national team will keep going there are players who have a good level."
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Vice president releases latest edition of Constitution in Sindhi
New Delhi (PTI): Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Friday released the latest edition of the Constitution in Sindhi language, in both Devanagari and Persian scripts here.
Addressing a gathering, the vice president extended greetings to the Sindhi-speaking community on the occasion of Sindhi Bhasha Diwas.
He described Sindhi as one of the oldest and most melodious languages, noting that its literary tradition reflects a unique confluence of Vedantic philosophy and Sufi thought, promoting universal values of oneness, love, and brotherhood.
Highlighting the significance of the occasion, he said that the release of the Constitution in Sindhi, particularly in the Devanagari script for the first time since Independence, marks an important milestone in promoting linguistic inclusivity.
He emphasised that the Constitution is not merely a legal document but the living spirit of the nation, embodying its aspirations, safeguarding rights, and guiding democratic governance.
He observed that India stands unique in making its Constitution available in a wide range of languages and recalled similar initiatives undertaken in recent years, including translations in Bodo, Dogri, Santhali, Tamil, Gujarati, and Nepali. These efforts, he said, celebrate India’s linguistic diversity and reinforce democratic values.
