Andres Iniesta: I'll be in shadow of World Cup goal forever
Andres Iniesta has said that he is worried his 2010 FIFA World-Cup-winning strike will hang over him, with every goal he scores for the rest of his career being compared to his strike against Holland.
The versatile 26-year-old Barcelona midfielder fired home late in extra-time in the World Cup final to help Spain become world champions for the first time. After receiving a pass from Cesc Fabregas, Iniesta flicked the ball up to himself and sent a powerful shot past Maarten Stekelenburg into the bottom left corner.
In an interview with El Pais, Iniesta revealed that he had watched the goal over and over but is worried that every goal he scores from now on will be measured against his all-important strike in South Africa.
'Watched goal a thousand times'
He said that: “I watch all my matches many times. It helps me to improve. So whether I like it or not, I have seen the goal a thousand times. There is a goal in that final which is personal, very much mine. What bothers me is that I don't score that many goals and now none of the goals I score will be valued as much as that one.”
The 5ft 7in midfielder added that he knew the ball would end up in the net as soon as he had hit it — making reference to the laws of gravity. He said that: "I know the defence won't get to it, that the goalkeeper won't get to it . . . I just have to wait for it to fall, for it to obey Newton's Law. This time the apple was the ball and Newton's head was my foot."
Though he is staunchly proud of the strike which won the World Cup for Spain, Iniesta felt that his excellent first-time lob against Racing Santander in Barca’s opening La Liga match had been overlooked. He said that: "The goal versus Santander last weekend is one of the most difficult I have ever scored, but no one wants to tell me anything about this goal."
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