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Football: Andres Iniesta excited by Japan challenge, hopes to boost league's standing
Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta said he wants to help grow the J-League after signing for Vissel Kobe on Thursday. The 34-year-old, a four-time UEFA Champions League winner with Barca and a World Cup winner with Spain, was unveiled by the Japanese club at a press conference at a Tokyo hotel. "This is a very important challenge for me and my career. Hopefully the J-League will spread in Asia and I'd like to help with that," Iniesta said. (Andres Iniesta, right, and Vissel chairman Hiroshi Mikitani) The Spaniard was presented by Vissel chairman Hiroshi Mikitani, who is also CEO of online shopping giant Rakuten Inc., the current shirt sponsor of Barcelona. "Iniesta is a top global player. He will raise Japanese football's profile globally," said Mikitani. Iniesta, who won nine La Liga titles and three Club World Cups in his 22 years at Barcelona, said "Japan is a great country and has a great culture." The midfielder, who is in Spain's 23-man squad for the World Cup finals in Russia in June and July, is believed to have agreed a three-year contract worth around 3 billion yen ($27.3 million) a year. "There were other clubs who showed interest in me and I'd like to thank them as well," Iniesta said. "They (Vissel) have great confidence in me and that was a huge reason for signing here." "The reason I chose Vissel Kobe is because their project interests me. They trust me as player and person. I want to get used to Japan as fast as possible. I love everything about the country." Related news: Football: Fernando Torres wants to play in Japan: report Iniesta, who scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, said he respected Japanese football and the country's players "are of really high quality." "Japanese players are intelligent, play combination football," he said. "I know the J-League well, I know the Japanese national team well. I want to contribute to the club playing the way I know; it's why I came to Japan." (Over 300 journalists gathered for the announcement) After the press conference, Mikitani and Iniesta moved to Tokyo Dome, where the footballer was introduced to the crowd before the start of the pro baseball game between the Rakuten Eagles and Orix Buffaloes and had his picture taken with the Eagles' players. Iniesta will meet fans at Kobe's Noevir Stadium on Saturday. Vissel signed Lukas Podolski last year, although the former Germany international is out until the end of June due to a calf injury. The club are currently sixth in the J-League first-division. (Iniesta scores in the final of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa)
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