Iniesta makes debut for new Japanese team

Vissel Kobe were losing 2-0 to one of their fiercest rivals when he entered on 59 minutes. In such a situation, his coach Takayuki Yoshida had no doubt that the former Barcelona man was the person to turn to to try and get the game back in his team's favour.

While for many it will be strange to see him in a kit other than the blue and red stripes of Barcelona, his team's supporters were elated to see him in his new burgundy strip as he embraced teaem-mate Kazume Watanabe before entering the pitch.

The fans loudly clapped and waved Spanish flags in the stands as the the man who clinched victory in the 2010 World Cup final for his native Spain jogged towards the action for his first taste of a competitive game in the Japanese league.

 

July 22, 2018

However, it was a debut to forget for Iniesta as his team conceded another goal to lose the match 3-0, with the midlfield maestro personally unable to affect the game in a meaningful way. This could be due to his lack of readiness having only just returned from his holiday following representing his country at a third and final World Cup in Russia.

Nevertheless, it is a historic moment for Japanese football as they welcomed one of the greats of the game in the last decade to their somewhat unknown league.