KOBE (JAPAN) - Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta on Saturday made his first appearance at Vissel Kobe since signing for the Japanese side, greeting thousands of fans and vowing to make his new club the biggest in Asia. "This is a big challenge for me," Iniesta told some 4,000 fans through an interpreter two days after signing his contract at a glitzy unveiling in Tokyo. The midfielder, who famously scored Spain's winning goal against the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final, lifted 32 major trophies and made 674 appearances for Barcelona. The Spain icon's decision to choose Kobe arguably represents Japanese football's biggest transfer coup, with many top players now moving to cash-rich Chinese clubs in the twilight of their careers. Following the World Cup in Russia, Iniesta will join former Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski at Vissel, currently sixth in the J-League first division after 15 games.

Source: Bangkok Post May 26, 2018 03:22 UTC