If Andres Iniesta chooses Japan as his next destination, he won’t be the first football icon to do so.
Iniesta, 33, is set to leave Barcelona this summer after 22 years, more than 650 appearances and 32 major trophies.
The attacking midfielder, who struck Spain’s winning goal at the 2010 World Cup final, had been expected to join Chinese Super League’s Chongqing Dangdai Lifan. But the connection between Barca and sponsors Rakuten is set to see him land at mid-table Vissel Kobe on a monster three-year contract worth approximately €75 million (Dh327.1m) after tax, according to Cadena SER.
J1 League has attracted several of the sport’s biggest names throughout its history. Here are five of the best.
MICHAEL LAUDRUP
The path from an El Clasico giant to Kobe has been tread before. In 1996, Laudrup – an elegant attacking midfielder – swapped Real Madrid for a promotion fight in Japan.
The 32-year-old Denmark international arrived mid-season and ensured Stuart Baxter’s charges earned their berth in the top flight, with five goals in 12 games. Laudrup then hung around for three J League matches before winding down his celebrated career at Ajax in 1997/98.
GARY LINEKER
One of England’s finest strikers chose Japan for the final years of his career.
A £2 million (Dh14.2m) fee was paid by ambitious Nagoya Grampus Eight to land Lineker, who headed east aged 31 after being controversially denied a chance to level Sir Bobby Charlton’s scoring record for his nation at Euro 92.
Injuries would stunt his impact during two seasons in J League, where he wound up with a disappointing four goals in 18 games.
LUKAS PODOLSKI
After experiencing dwindling returns at Arsenal, Internazionale and Galatasaray, the 130-cap Germany forward chose to join Kobe for the 2017 season.
The 32-year-old could not lift Kobe beyond mid-table last term and the same theme is repeating in 2018 – Takayuki Yoshida’s men currently sit 10th in the table.
In all competitions thus far in Japan, Podolski has struck 10 times in 30 run-outs. Not a bad return on his €5 million-per-annum (Dh21.8m), three-year deal.
HRISTO STOICHKOV
The final years of the Bulgaria talisman’s celebrated career took him on a world tour.
From 1998’s return to CSKA Sofia until he hung up his boots at DC United in 2003, ‘El Pistolero’ took in five different clubs in four separate countries.
Stoichkov headed to Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol in the wake of a brief stop at Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr.
At Reysol, the 32-year-old forward scored 13 times in 29 games.
ZICO
When you earn the nickname ‘God of Football’ from an adoring Japanese public, it is no surprise to learn Zico’s time there was a resounding success.
One of the Brazil’s great attacking midfielders came out of retirement in 1991 aged 38 to join lower-league Sumitomo Metals. His dedication would turn them into J League contenders when named Kashima Antlers.
Zico would go on to manage Japan from 2002 until a disappointing 2006 World Cup campaign.
