As the J 1 League restarts for the 2019 season, one notable story to keep an eye on is that of Vissel Kobe, a team that consists of three World Cup winners.

The Japanese team has the universally recognized names of Spanish icon Andres Iniesta, Spanish World Cup winner and former Barcelona man David Villa alongside Germany’s 2014 World Cup winner Lukas Podolski amongst its ranks for the 2019 season.

The clubs name “Vissel” was coined through the merger of the words “Vessel” and “Victory” in a nod to the heritage of the international harbour city of Kobe. For the 2019 season, the club has assumed the slogan of “the No. 1 club in Asia- Solidarity.” A sign of the Japanese clubs intent for the new season.

Despite adding 34-year-old Barcelona and Spain legend Andres Iniesta to a team that already included Lukas Podolski, Vissel was only able to finish an underwhelming 10th position in the 2018 J1 League season. Iniesta joined on 24th May 2018 but he had to wait until July 22nd, 2018 to make his debut, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 3-0 defeat against Shonan Bellmare.

In the 14 games Iniesta played, the midfield maestro provided three goals and three assists. With his outrageous first goal going viral worldwide, the Spaniard opened the scoring in the 2-1 win over J-League rivals Jubilo Iwata in August 2018.

As the club slogan for the 2019 season suggests, the goal is to bring a maiden J League title to the city of Kobe. To improve upon last season’s 10th place finish, a prominent goalscorer was certainly required and by adding Spanish marksman David Villa, it really is a signal of Vissel Kobe’s ambitions.

Last season’s top scorer, Hirotaka Mita only notched 6 goals in the J League. You would almost certainly expect Villa, even at 37-years old, to be the consistent goalscorer Vissel needs to take this team to the next level. The three marquee players will be looking to drastically improve upon the club’s highest ever finish of seventh in the 2016 season where Vissel finished just three points outside of the AFC Champions League places.

Vissel Kobe will open their 2019 campaign away to Cerezo Osaka, who finished three places above Vissel in seventh last season. Home fans will get their first sight of the incredibly talented trio on 2nd March 2019, as they take on a Sagan Tosu team including Spanish World Cup winner Fernando Torres and former Barcelona man Isaac Cuenca.

Sagan Tosu narrowly avoided relegation last season on goal difference, after Fernando Torres provided an all-important 78th-minute winner against Yokohama Marinos in the penultimate game of the season, to keep his side in the J League.

The impact the signings have had on the city of Kobe has been huge, the average attendance at the Noevir Stadium for the 2018 season was up 18.4% to 21,630. The 2017 season in comparison brought in an average attendance of 18,272 itself a 7.4% rise on the previous season, notably the 2017 season was Lukas Podolski’s first at the club. (Credit: J League Data)

Be sure to keep yourself updated on how these three legends of European football fare in the 2019 J League season, can they bring a maiden league title to Kobe? Only time will tell.