Andres Iniesta has been officially unveiled as a Vissel Kobe player, with the J-League outfit having snapped up the Barca legend in the wake of his departure from Camp Nou.
Having graduated out of the famed La Masia academy system in Catalunya, the 34-year-old had become one of the greatest of modern day football.
He helped Barca to nine La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns during his time at Camp Nou, while also landing World Cup and European Championship honours with Spain.
He told reporters after penning a contract: "This is a very special day for me. This is a very important challenge for my career. I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude for your trust in this project.
"There were many offers. I'd like to thank the other clubs who showed an interest. The reason I chose Vissel is that this is a very interesting project. They trusted me as a player.
"Japan is amazing, the culture is good. I'd like to get used to Japan, enjoy the life here and get into the team."
The club’s chairman, Hiroshi Mikitaini – who is the chief executive of Japanese electronics company Rakuten, who is Barcelona’s shirt sponsors – believes Iniesta can be "a terrific inspiration for Japanese football society" and help Vissel Kobe complete their "goal of becoming the number one club in Asia".
