The contract that could have changed Andres Iniesta's career

Andres Iniesta is one of the most important players in Spanish football history. For his time with Barcelona and the national team. Iniesta is currently at Vissel Kobe in Japan after 22 years at Barcelona, where he arrived at 12 years old.

SPORT have had access to the contract he was offered by Albacete that could have changed the course of his life and the football world. He was offered a deal by his previous club to stop him leaving. They knew how good he could be. Gines Melendez was the head of the youth academy there and did his best to keep INiesta.

The contract is dated June 6, 1996, a few days after he had impressed in the Brunete Alevin tournament. It was presented by Jose Ramon Remiro Brotons, the president of the club at the time. Jose Iniesta Lujan was there - Andres's legal representative and father.

The idea is that the contract would go from June 1, 96, with Iniesta getting a monthly salary at 12 years old. He would also move from Fuentealvilla to Albacete. It was all in pesetas, as Euro had not been invented yet.

It said that "if in any of the seasons of the contract he plays a minimum of 10 games of at least 45 minutes in the first team, from that date he would earn the minimum wage guaranteed to professionals in the first two leagues in Spain." That showed that at 12, they knew he would make it. 

The contract was never signed. He headed to Barcelona instead. And the rest is history.