Vissel Kobe announced Saturday that former Germany international Lukas Podolski is leaving the J. League first-division club upon the expiration of his contract. The 34-year-old striker joined Kobe in the summer of 2017 on a 2½-year deal with an estimated annual salary of ¥600 million ...
Andres Iniesta says he hopes to finish playing career in Japan
Former Spain and Barcelona great Andres Iniesta hopes to finish his playing career in Japan with J. League's Vissel Kobe, Spanish media reported Thursday. Following rumors of interest from clubs in North America's Major League Soccer, the 34-year-old Iniesta was quoted in the online edition ...
Vissel rings in new year with first-ever Emperor's Cup title
A new year, a new decade, a new stadium and a new champion. Vissel Kobe christened Tokyo's rebuilt National Stadium with its first-ever Emperor's Cup title on Wednesday, taking advantage of a pair of defensive lapses to defeat Kashima Antlers 2-0 on New Year's Day. The ...
Vissel Kobe's Lukas Podolski is attracting strong interest from MLS side Chicago Fire and Polish top-division side Gornik Zabrze, the online edition of Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger reported Monday. The former Germany World Cup winner, 34, is also being linked with Monterrey of Mexico and Flamengo of ...
Andres Iniesta scored one goal and helped set up another as Vissel Kobe advanced to the Emperor's Cup final with a 3-1 win over Shimizu S-Pulse on Saturday. The star-studded J. League club will christen the new National Stadium in Tokyo on New Year's Day ...
Vissel Kobe's David Villa wants to end career on New Year's Day
In a Wednesday news conference occasionally interrupted by tears, Vissel Kobe striker David Villa announced his decision to retire after the end of the current J. League season. The 2010 World Cup winner has spent the twilight of his career globetrotting since establishing himself as ...
Vissel Kobe hammer Sagan Tosu in Fernando Torres' final game
Former Spain international star Fernando Torres walked away from the game after failing to score in Sagan Tosu's 6-1 loss to Vissel Kobe on Friday night. The game was billed as a final showdown between Torres and his compatriot, friend and former World Cup star ...
Veteran defender Gotoku Sakai returns to Japan because of Vissel Kobe's 'vision'
While Gotoku Sakai had planned to continue his career in Europe, the former Japan international said Friday he decided to return to the J. League with Vissel Kobe after being sold on the club's "vision." The 28-year-old right-back, who played eight seasons in Germany with ...
Following more than 200 games in the German first and second divisions, former Japan defender Gotoku Sakai will return to the J. League with Vissel Kobe, the club said Wednesday. The 28-year-old right-back, a member of Japan's past two World Cup squads, joins Vissel on ...
Vissel Kobe stage late comeback to earn draw with Gamba Osaka
A spectacular Andres Iniesta penalty goal and a late Asahi Masuyama header earned a point for Vissel Kobe in a 2-2 home draw with Gamba Osaka on Friday night. Trailing by two, Iniesta was the picture of calm as he scored in the 79th minute ...
Carles Perez scored a second-half brace to lift Spanish powerhouse Barcelona over J. League first-division side Vissel Kobe 2-0 in their friendly on Saturday. The game was one of two high-profile matches featuring J. League clubs on Saturday. In the other one, English Premier League ...
Former Barcelona, Arsenal defender Vermaelen joins Vissel Kobe
Belgium international defender Thomas Vermaelen on Saturday become the latest high-profile European player to join J. League side Vissel Kobe. Vissel introduced the 33-year-old center-back at a news conference at Kobe's Noevir Stadium ahead of a friendly against his former club Barcelona. Vermaelen arrived on a ...
