Courtesy: Daily Mail


REVEALED: How Iniesta developed his genius in the tight spaces of the futsal pitch

by Adam Shergold

There are plenty who have watched him play who believe he has a God-given genius.

But it transpires Andres Iniesta also practised hard to become of the greatest playmakers of his generation.

A new Nike viral sees the Barcelona and Spain star trace his footballing roots - by playing futsal.

His brilliance in the small-sided game - in which movement, awareness and control in confined spaces are essential assets - perhaps explains his class in the bigger version.

'In the small confined space, you had to find ways out,' he says in the video, which shows the pitches in his home village of Fuentealbilia on which he honed his skills.

'Different ways each time - predictable means defeat. So it pays to try new things, to take risks.

'You learn fast that possession is king. And that never changes.'

Never were truer words spoken by a man who is the heartbeat of two teams who indulge in starving the opposition of the ball.

Iniesta, 28, is one of the most decorated players in the world, having won the World Cup, two European Championships, five domestic titles, two domestic cups and three Champions Leagues.

He will likely be in action this week as Spain continue their quest for back-to-back World Cups with qualifiers against Finland and France.






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com