Iniesta extends his Vissel Kobe contract
Tokyo, May 11 (EFE).- Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta on Tuesday announced he had extended his contract with Japanese team Vissel Kobe by two years.
“Today is a very special day. Being linked to Vissel Kobe for two more years makes me very excited,” birthday boy Iniesta told a press conference in Tokyo.
The 37-year-old said he feels “a lot of strength” and “motivation” to continue contributing to the growth of the club he joined in mid-2018 from Barcelona.
Iniesta said he wants to continue playing football “for a long time,” as long as he is doing well on the field.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup winner said he would like to end his career at Vissel and to “maintain a link with the club’s project for a long time, beyond football”.
He showed gratitude to club owner Hiroshi Mikitani, who was present at the presser, and the fans for “the confidence, affection and respect” they showed since he joined the team three years ago.
Among his memories with the Kobe-based club, he singled out the first two titles the club has ever won and his first AFC Champions League appearance.
Since joining the Japanese club in May 2018 on a three-year contract, Iniesta has become the undisputed leader and the star of J1 League.
He has bagged 16 goals and 18 assists in 78 matches he has played with Vissel, currently fifth in the league table.
Iniesta steered the team to win the 2019 Emperor’s Cup and the 2020 Japanese Super Cup.
