Barcelona soccer legend Andres Iniesta yesterday 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.
Wearing No. 8 — like he did at Barcelona — the 34-year-old World Cup winner attended a welcome ceremony at the J-League club’s home stadium in Kobe with team owner Hiroshi Mikitani.
“This is a big challenge for me,” Iniesta told about 4,000 fans through an interpreter two days after signing his contract at a glitzy unveiling in Tokyo.
Photo: EPA
He displayed his ball-juggling technique and kicked balls into the crowd, delighting fans.
“I aim to contribute to the team as much as possible,” said Iniesta, who is reported to have agreed to a three-year deal with a league-record annual salary of US$30 million.
“I think I should pursue the best objectives in both football and my life,” he said, adding that he wants Vissel to win the league and “if possible, conquer Asia.”
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 soccer’s biggest transfer coup, with many top players now moving to cash-rich Chinese clubs in the twilight of their careers.
Iniesta had earlier this month said that moving to a Chinese club was also an option.
His signing is a timely boost to the J-League, which used to attract luminaries such as Brazilian great Zico and former England star Gary Lineker when it began in 1993, but has struggled to attract marquee players in recent years.
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