Vissel Kobe

Club from the Japanese city of Kobe, which gained international projection after signing stars such as Andres Iniesta and David Villa.

History

Founded in 1995 after the great Kobe earthquake, Vissel Kobe was born as a symbol of the city's reconstruction and joined the J.League still in the 1990s. For many years the club alternated between the first and second divisions of Japan before establishing itself consistently in the elite. From 2018 onwards, the club gained worldwide fame by signing Spanish player Andres Iniesta, former Barcelona, followed by other prominent names such as David Villa and Podolski. With the reinforcement of European stars, Vissel Kobe won its first major national title, the Emperor's Cup, in 2019.