The striker who spearheaded Spain’s attacking force in three major tournaments, thereby firing the Red and Yellow brigade to glory in two European Championships and one World Cup, spent a lion’s share of his club career at Atletico Madrid before heading to Liverpool and Chelsea. Iniesta is still to announce his swansong and is most likely to play another season for Vissel Kobe before bowing out of the game forever. With figures that read 9 goals from 37 games, his conversion rate as a central midfielder made him a feared opponent in the Japanese league.

His midfield display has helped Vissel Kobe to uplift themselves from the bottom half of the table to a respectable eighth position in a league of 18 teams. His first goal for the Japanese contingency arrived against Jubilo Iwata in August 2018. Signed for a three-year deal, the Spanish central midfielder was roped in by Vissel Kobe to pull themselves out of the mid-table label. #4 Andres Iniesta Andres IniestaĪs the 2010 World Cup Final was slowly headed towards a rip-roaring tie-breaker that would have featured two goalkeepers of the finest order locked in a face-off, Andres Iniesta’s wizardry shattered the hopes of millions and also the long-suspended impasse to propel Spain to their maiden World Cup triumph.Īfter spending 16 long years with the Catalans, Iniesta bade adieu to Nou Camp. With a magical figure of 15 goals from 56 games, Podolski still holds the key to a resurgent Vissel Kobe in an otherwise mediocre season. The German marksman’s proliferation rate knew no bounds as his emphatic contribution to the club helped the team in winning their first major silverware in the apparition of Emperor’s Cup in January 2020. His first hat-trick for the Japanese outfit came in December of the recently concluded 2019 where he went on to pump in three goals against an ailing Jubilo Iwata. Podolski kick-started his career with a brace in his debut to fire Vissel Kobe to a 3-1 victory over Omiya Ardija. Hailing from Germany, the legendary striker has plied his trade for several illustrious clubs including the likes of Bayern Munich and Arsenal before finally heading to Vissel Kobe after short stints at Galatasaray and Internazionale.Īfter a wondrous season at Galatasaray, Podolski headed for the land of the Rising Sun. We will look at five of those legendary players who have graced J-League with their titanic presence and stamped their authority in the heart of Asian football. Guest or not, legends always leave their trail wherever they go. A few of them have been consistent regulars and a few appeared for guest performances. Wrapped under the folds of a meteoric rise from the ashes, J1 League has turned out to be the best football league in Asia, after years of a tryst with mediocrity and sub-standard football conditions.įrom sporting Arsene Wenger as a manager who set the course right for Japan stalwarts, Nagoya Grampus, J-League has hosted several foreigners in its illustrious history of 24 years.

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