Andrés Iniesta buys Danish team after retirement

Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andrés Iniesta has become the co-owner of Danish third-division side Helsingør, the club announced on Thursday.

It is Iniesta’s first major off-field venture since he announced his retirement from football last month.

The 40-year-old is also undertaking his coaching badges in the United Arab Emirates and has expressed a desire to become a manager one day.

Iniesta’s involvement with Helsingør comes through NSN, the sports management and consulting company he jointly founded, who take control of the club alongside the Swiss investment group Stoneweg.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to get to know football in a different way,” Iniesta told Helsingør’s official website.

In an interview with Helsingør Dagblad, he added: “It’s an incredibly exciting club with really good facilities, a lot of good people in and around the club and a potential in the city to become an important part of Danish football.”

Helsingør are seventh in their 12-team division. They are coached by Spaniard Pep Alomar, while the sporting director, Quim Ramón, has previously worked within Barça’s youth academy.

Iniesta is in Denmark this week and was pictured at training on Thursday. He will attend this weekend’s match against Ishøj.

As a player, Iniesta won multiple trophies, including numerous LaLigas and Champions Leagues with Barça, and famously scored the winning goal as Spain won the World Cup in 2010.

As well as Barça and the Spanish national team, he also played for Japanese side Vissel Kobe before finishing his career with Emirates in the UAE, where he currently resides.