Andrés Iniesta Bids Farewell to Japan in Final Appearance

Andrés Iniesta's Final Appearance in Japan

Kobe - The spectators rose from their seats and applauded Andrés Iniesta at the sold-out Noevir Stadium. The 39-year-old Spanish former World Cup winner has prematurely ended his five-year Japan adventure. In front of 30,000 fans, Iniesta played his final match for Vissel Kobe.

The midfielder recently announced his departure before the expiration of his contract in January. In the 56th minute of the 1-1 draw against Consadole Sapporo, Iniesta left the field, handing over the captain's armband to a teammate. It was his first start of the season in the J1 League.

In the summer of 2018, Iniesta moved to Vissel Kobe after having only played for FC Barcelona in his club career. Recently, he expressed his desire to return to Barcelona at some point.