Former Spanish international Andrés Iniesta will leave Vissel Kobe in the middle of this Japanese league season, the Japanese club reported Thursday. The former Barcelona midfielder, who turned 39 earlier this month, joined Kobe in 2018 after a glittering career at the Catalan club, where he won 30 titles. He also won the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and two consecutive European Championships with Spain.
"We regret to announce the departure of Andrés Iniesta from our club," Kobe said in a statement.
"For five years since he joined, we express our sincerest gratitude to Iniesta, who has made significant contributions to Vissel Kobe." Iniesta will leave Kobe after the home game against Consadole Sapporo at Noevir Stadium on July 1.
The club is three points ahead after 14 games. So far he has played 133 games for Kobe, with whom he won the 2019 Emperor's Cup and the 2020 Japan Super Cup. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing in Spanish by Benjamín Mejías Valencia)
