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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Delhi court extends gangster Anmol Bishnoi's NIA custody by 7 days
New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi court on Friday extended the NIA custody of deported gangster Anmol Bishnoi by seven more days.
Special Judge Prashant Sharma ordered the extension during a hearing conducted at the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) headquarters here amid high security.
The hearing was not conducted at the designated court in the Patiala House courts as the NIA cited a high security risk to Bishnoi because of threats given by Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti.
Sources said the agency sought the extension of Anmol's custody by seven more days on the ground of conducting further probe, which the judge allowed.
Wanted in connection with the killing of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique, firing at actor Salman Khan's residence in April 2024, the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, among other crimes, Anmol was "removed" from the United States on November 18.
He was detained in the US in November last year.
After being produced before a special judge in the Patiala House courts on November 18, he was sent to the NIA's custody for 11 days.
On November 29, Anmol, the brother and a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was sent for further custodial interrogation till December 5.
Absconding since 2022, US-based Anmol is the 19th accused to be arrested for involvement in the terror-gangster syndicate led by his jailed brother.
