Iniesta: "World Cup will probably be my last international event"
The Barcelona midfielder has given the clearest indication yet that he will bring down the curtain on his illustrious Spain career next summer.
Andrés Iniesta has stated that he will likely retire from international football after next year's World Cup in Russia after a glittering career with La Roja.
Barcelona midfielder Iniesta, 33, signed a first ever "contract for life" with the Catalan giants last week.
However, after a few injury-plagued seasons, he is hoping just to be fit in 2018 to top off a stunning international career.
As well as scoring the winning goal in the 2010 final in extra time against the Netherlands, Iniesta helped Spain win back-to-back European championships in 2008 and 2012.
"I am realistic. There is a great chance this World Cup will be my last event with the national team," Iniesta told Barcelona-based daily Sport on Friday.
Iniesta: "Right now I still feel like a footballer"
"I am aware of the moment, my age and everything it entails, but we will see how things develop.
"There are many months still to go until the World Cup and hopefully everything will go well so that I can be in Russia."
Iniesta refused to rule out even retiring at club level at the end of the season when signing his new contract last week.
And he insisted the idea of the lifetime contract is to give both him and the club freedom to decide when the time is right for his playing career to come to an end.
"The idea of the contract is to evaluate every season how I can perform or what I can still mean as a player," added Iniesta.
"Right now I still feel like a footballer and I don't have a vision of what I want to be in a few years."