Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has been appointed head coach of Gulf United, a second-tier club in the United Arab Emirates First Division League. The club officially announced the appointment on June 1, 2026 [1].
Iniesta, 42, ended his playing career in 2024 with Emirates Club in the UAE, marking the close of a celebrated on-field journey [2, 3, 1]. He is now starting his coaching career, having obtained his A Licence and working toward his Pro Licence [2, 3, 1].
Iniesta was a key figure in the success of Barcelona and Spain in the late 2000s and early 2010s. He famously scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final for Spain [2, 3, 1].
Speaking about his new role, Iniesta said, "Joining Gulf United FC feels like the right place to begin this new chapter. Football has given me everything, and now I want to give something back through coaching, through learning, and through working every day with young players who have the hunger and the talent to go far" [2].
The appointment marks Iniesta’s first professional coaching role since retiring as a player two years ago. Gulf United will look to benefit from his experience as he leads the club in the UAE First Division League.
Media coverage of Iniesta's move was published on June 2, 2026, confirming the news [2, 3, 1]. His next steps include continuing his coaching education and beginning preparations for the upcoming season with Gulf United.
