Soccer player Andrés Iniesta has had a stellar career as part of FC Barcelona and later as captain of Japanese squad Vissel Kobe, where he guided the team to great success. During his five years in Kobe, he developed a deep affection for the city and its tenacious inhabitants, a feeling that was returned by droves of supporters who see the team as a symbol of the city's rebirth after the major earthquake there in 1995.
Andres Iniesta: one of the world's greatest soccer players.
He spent 16 years on the roster of Barcelona, a legendary Spanish club.
His exceptional dribbling and passing skills brought the team countless titles.
In 2010, he led his native Spain to its first World Cup win.
In 2018, Iniesta made a decision that astonished the world.
Welcome to Kobe!
He chose to relocate to Japan.
And gave his new position his all.
"Iniesta's holding the ball."
"He's kept it!"
"Iniesta! Iniesta! It's Iniesta!"
"He's a wizard.
This is magical!"
"Incredible!"
Other players with international experience were astonished by his skill.
His dribbling is extraordinary.
It's unparalleled.
No amount of practice could
make someone that good.
His talent is undeniable.
I suppose... he's a maverick.
There's nobody like him.
He's able to control a match.
Iniesta is more than just an exceptionally skilled soccer player.
He uses his magic to brighten the lives of local people.
But in July 2023, he left Japan after a five-year stay.
For me, it's been...
It's been such a lovely,
special experience.
I feel I've learned so much.
We take a look at Iniesta's five years of glory and despair in Kobe.
The port city of Kobe.
It's an international city that's home to 1.5 million people.
Our story takes place at its soccer club, Vissel Kobe.
Both city and club share an indelible memory.
28 years ago, the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake struck.
In an instant, buildings all over Kobe were decimated by the massive quake.
Silence!
Vissel was the city's brand-new club.
The day of the quake was supposed to be its very first day.
The team's first task was assisting in recovery.
"Let's rise again, Kobe!"
Let's rise again, Kobe.
The team became a symbol of the city's recovery.
"Hymn for Kobe" became the team's cheer song.
The lyrics spell out local pride for their beloved city.
"Together we fell
Together we stand."
"Forever will we walk
side by side."
"We will protect
Our beautiful harbor town."
"And love our Kobe
As long as we live."
In 2018, Vissel Kobe welcomed global superstar Andres Iniesta.
Even its kindest critics would not consider the team a strong one.
But the team's fervent wish to become the strongest in Japan,
and the champions of Asia, struck a chord with Iniesta.
This is a great chance for me,
an exciting one.
[We want] to be league champions,
and champions of Asia.
Iniesta was thrilled by a new challenge only he could overcome.
All of this trust and care has been
really incredible.
I felt it since the moment
I arrived here.
I'm excited and eager to
keep helping Vissel.
To raise their level, and to be
a team known around Asia. To be the top.
As promised, Iniesta shone.
In his second year, he became captain.
The Emperor's Cup is one of Japan's biggest tournaments.
With Iniesta in charge, Vissel won match after match.
"He shoots..."
Iniesta!
A victory.
It's the club's first title, and a historic moment.
Behind this win was the hard work put in by teammates inspired by Iniesta.
Furuhashi Kyogo.
Today, he's a top scorer in the Scottish professional league, and an international name.
But, he was once a young player in a second-division club.
His life changed after he began playing with Iniesta.
His scoring skills flourished after constantly receiving passes from Iniesta.
He said to have faith
in myself, my abilities.
That I'd be okay.
That meant so much.
He sets up perfect passes
to make goals.
"It's Sakai Gotoku!"
Iniesta inspired older Vissel players too.
Sakai Gotoku is one of them.
He played in Germany for nine years, and is a veteran of Japan's national team.
At first, we couldn't
connect passes at all.
I was so frustrated.
I watched footage over and over.
To grasp his timing, his habits.
I learned where he wanted me,
what he needed.
I began getting more passes.
By engaging sincerely with each player, the team leveled up.
It's Vissel's first title. I'm so happy.
I've won lots of titles.
But this one is truly exciting.
It's like there's a "before"
and "after" Andres.
Andres came and made changes
and won right away.
Sing your hearts out!
Andres Iniesta!
A global superstar who had transformed the team beyond all recognition.
Kobe fell in love.
From the moment he arrived,
he's had a massive influence.
We love him a great deal.
Fans showed their love even on the streets.
We're buddies!
We are Kobe!
Even in care homes for the elderly.
Vissel Kobe!
This woman in her 80s is an Iniesta fan and has even begun studying Spanish.
VAMOS INIESTA!
Iniesta has been touched by Kobe's love.
When you leave home, it can
be difficult to adjust.
To feel at home...
It's not easy, but we did it here.
It's May 15, 1993, and
the J.League has begun!
Iniesta plays in the Japan Professional Football League, or J.League.
At just 30 years old, it's still a very young organization.
Its goal is integration with local communities.
There are sixty teams across Japan, and all of them include the name of the local region.
Fans shouting their hometowns' name.
Fans both young and old
gather at local stadiums.
Vissel Kobe! Vissel Kobe!
They never get tired. It's not just
at home, they'll cheer at away games.
It really impressed me.
I'm so happy to have been able
to experience it.
The league's philosophy resonated with Iniesta, who set up his own project.
I hope you have a good time,
a great experience, and learn new things.
He began a soccer school for kids.
It's intended to help children think proactively about their plays, as well as to enjoy the sport.
It's fun.
I want to be the league's top scorer!
Andres has created this training system.
He wants the kids to find
their own unique playing styles.
Above all, he wants to meet each child
at their level to help them improve.
We're just so happy to be here.
I feel a responsibility while I'm here.
To give it my all in every way.
One event cemented Iniesta's love for the people of Kobe.
It was in his third year playing for Japan.
Iniesta suffered a major injury during the tournament that could make them champions of Asia.
It was a pain...
that I'd never felt before in my life.
A shooting, horrible pain.
I knew I was seriously hurt.
I put my hands on my leg
because I couldn't feel it.
He was diagnosed with a proximal right thigh muscle tendon tear.
It was a potentially career-ending injury.
I didn't know what kind of future
was waiting for me.
All I could think was, if this doesn't
go well, I might never play again.
I felt panic. Fear.
An operation, and months of physical therapy.
Iniesta chose to recover in Kobe.
It couldn't be anywhere else.
He needed the people's support.
I felt good on Vissel, in Kobe,
and in Japan in general.
I felt respected and cared for
by everyone.
All of these things motivated me
to get better.
He spent this time getting to know the people of Kobe.
He'd come to inspire dreams, but realized he was the one being inspired.
People were hurting with me.
It would have been difficult
to keep going without their love.
It was a beautiful lesson
for me as a person.
Everyone was waiting for his recovery.
Five months after his injury, he returned.
"Incredible!"
"Iniesta's holding the ball."
"He's kept it!"
"He's deep in their turf!"
Iniesta displayed athleticism that maybe surpassed his previous efforts.
Andres Iniesta had returned.
The "soccer wizard" was back.
His teammates were in top form, too.
At season's end, Vissel reached third place, their highest ever position.
I've supported Vissel
since 1995.
I'm over the moon!
We get to be proud of our team.
There are more fans now.
I hope to keep cheering
for Vissel victories.
For Iniesta, these are unforgettable days.
I think my personality matches with
the values of Japanese society.
They always work hard.
And they never look back.
They have persistence in
all the things they do.
Above all, they remain calm.
I think that's what gave me
a sense of calm and well-being.
I don't know if there are
many other places like it.
We are Kobe!
Kobe became Iniesta's second home.
His wife Anna and their children live with him in the city.
We've been here four and a half years.
And the experience has been...
So positive. The kids love school.
They have friends, they're happy.
They're growing with joy. It's a blessing
to be able to enjoy life here.
They opened a store to make soccer a more familiar presence.
The layout was a point of pride.
I'd get rid of the bench.
That should be in the middle.
Ah, well, no, this should go
in the middle.
No, the other way.
Here, Anna is in charge.
2022.
Now 38, Iniesta faced a new obstacle.
"Osako coming on for Iniesta."
Long the center of the team, Iniesta is now being deployed differently.
He's substituted out early.
"He seems frustrated."
A rare moment of anger.
Injuries have taken out several key players, and the team gets off to a bad start.
Vissel struggles to find a new way forward.
One path was a strategy that didn't depend on Iniesta.
It was clear that the way of
doing things was changing.
And the coach and the club thought that
I didn't fit with this new method.
It got to the point where
the coach said:
"I think it's better that you
be on the bench."
I haven't lived up to Kobe's expectations.
The thought weighed on him.
He needed to reset and recover.
He made use of a break between matches to return to Spain.
He hadn't been able to leave Japan for two and a half long years during the pandemic.
He was finally able to see his family again.
I spotted Andres right away.
They came toward me and I started running,
and there we were.
We felt we needed more than anything
to be able to go and be with family.
To be able to hug and kiss our family again.
We'd all missed each other so much.
Just seven matches left in the season.
The team was still locked in a slump.
And Iniesta himself was injured.
What could he do as an injured player?
Iniesta had an idea.
Who'd have known you'd
find yourself in this situation?
It's been quite the lesson.
There've been a lot of negatives this season,
a lot of suffering and more.
With everything that's happened,
that you're living through.
I admire that you're trying to get along
and support them in spite of it all.
More than anything, I want to feel that
I've done everything possible.
Like, I can't play now,
or stand on the field...
But I can get the whole team together,
the whole club.
And talk to them to get them focused,
in the same direction.
Iniesta called together the whole club for a meeting.
This is the time to talk for real.
We've got seven games left.
We have strategies.
He puts emotion into his words.
We're in a trash season. But we can get out
if we win the rest of the matches.
Or if we can win against
Tokyo and Gamba.
Train and sleep, train and sleep,
for two months.
Two months, dedicated 100%.
Not more than that. Just two months.
The atmosphere at
training changed.
It changed how we approached
our matches.
Andres is a world-class player.
His words have weight.
He showed us we were in
a bad way. Fired us up.
I think his personality
came into play.
He's faced with these challenges,
and he says,
"I'm going to do this, I'm going to
do everything possible."
"I'm going to get the team out of
this situation and save us."
I have a responsibility to myself,
to my teammates, and to the club.
I'm the captain of this team.
This is our home.
Iniesta watches from the sidelines.
That's a penalty!
"Cuts through with a dribble,
advantage to Kobe, Osako shoots!"
"Kobe's in the lead!"
Victory snatched from the jaws of defeat.
And then...
After that eventful meeting, the team won five matches in a row.
That meeting resulted in this positive energy
that we hadn't had all year.
We were all thinking about the team
over the individual.
It was a first step toward achieving
everything to come.
For me, it's been...
It's been such a lovely,
special experience.
I feel I've learned so much.
And I wanted to share all that
with my teammates.
Iniesta's graceful play inspired his teammates.
Now he's contributing from the sidelines.
Iniesta spent the second half of the season on the sidelines.
Where does he go from here? He spoke to a Japanese legend.
Being here in Japan, I've been able to see
what an amazing figure he is.
For the fact that he's still
playing at 55, sure, but also...
Because he was a pioneer for Japanese
soccer players, for Japan.
To leave and go to Brazil
at such a young age.
The King!
So, how's everything going?
I'm very happy.
- You've been in Japan four years?
- That's right.
- Goes by fast.
- Very fast.
Miura Kazuyoshi, a man Iniesta salutes as a pioneer.
With no way to play pro soccer in Japan, he went to Brazil alone at just 15 to sign a pro contract.
He went on to play in leagues in Japan, Italy, and Croatia.
Now 56, he's still playing professional soccer in Portugal.
We played each other last year.
It was a great moment.
- To play against you.
- You too.
I think...
- Until when?
- I don't know.
You want to play forever?
Well, today I want to keep playing.
But I think about you,
and in a few years, I can't imagine...
I'm sure I couldn't play at your age.
I think you could play for
as long as you want.
But you know it's not just about wanting.
It's a mental thing.
I agree, it depends on your head.
- You're 38.
- Yes.
38 is when I went to Yokohama.
38 now, but I can't imagine playing
17 more years!
I didn't think I would.
Until 40 or 41, maybe.
But here I am now, still playing.
It's remarkable. And in the end...
It's about the desire, the passion,
and feeling good playing with teammates.
Please, eat!
- Let's eat!
- Let's eat.
I told him I couldn't play
when I'm his age.
But that I'd like to keep playing
and enjoying soccer.
And in the end, find my own way
to feel good.
My soul still feels young, but my body...
not so much.
A new year, a new chance to shine as a player again.
Iniesta's determination carries him into the new season.
The team began with victories straight out of the gate, holding top position.
But Iniesta rarely appears on the pitch.
He watches his teammates from the bench.
Five years after he joined the team, they have the confidence to play superbly without him.
So he asks himself: what should he do now?
In what can be the future, I mean
with the passing of time...
I feel it's running against me.
It's not always what you imagine
or want.
Three months since the season began.
Iniesta tells his teammates that he's found an answer.
July 1st will be my last game
with Vissel.
What mattered to him most, was continuing to play on the pitch.
I've been preparing the best I can,
as usual.
I feel a duty to keep playing,
and I want to keep playing.
And I want to finish my career
in a place where I can play.
He decided to take on new challenges as a soccer player.
After his decision, he headed to a special spot.
Hello!
The Iniesta Academy.
What did you notice?
I was scared of them.
So they scored the same way.
The kids think for themselves and enjoy the game.
Iniesta wants to ensure they make it through their own challenges.
I hope the Academy continues on.
Soccer has been and
continues to be my life.
I just wanted to contribute
everything I had.
But at the same time, to learn.
That's what enriches people.
The academy will continue
even after he leaves.
Just one month until the final match.
He spends his time making memories with fans.
Can I have an autograph?
He listens to each fan as they mourn his decision.
They've made us feel at home
every day.
We've felt it everywhere we go,
on the streets or in the stadiums.
I believe it's care,
it's love, it's respect.
And so I really identify with
the culture here.
We've felt at home here,
and that's priceless.
July 1st.
Iniesta's last match in Japan.
A slow tempo, everyone.
A new song has been written
for the occasion.
A record 27,630 people fill in the stadium.
His first time in the starting lineup this season.
He finds a surprise from the packed stadium.
Iniesta pours his feelings for Kobe into his play.
"A gentle touch, will he shoot
from the corner?"
Twelve minutes into the second half.
His final moments on a Japanese soccer pitch.
He's made his mark.
Shown what it means to be
a professional.
The mentality of a winner.
The hunger to win.
That will be carried on here.
As a person, a player, he taught
me so much. Helped me grow.
I think of him as a teacher,
a brother. As family.
I'm just so grateful.
The locker room after the match.
Know you are all valuable players.
There will be a time in the season when
all of you are needed.
And then Iniesta gives a final farewell to Kobe.
Good evening, everyone.
I leave here a much better player
and person than when I arrived.
This has been thanks to my teammates,
my former teammates...
The staff, the club...
To the marvelous crowd we have,
to all Japan, to the J.League...
And to all the fans
who have been wonderful.
We have to say goodbye,
but I don't like "goodbye."
I prefer "see you later."
This will always be our home.
"Andres, how does it feel to charm a city?"
"We will always be your family."
"Kobe will never forget you."
"Go, go, Don Andres."
"My captain."
"Go, go, Don Andres."
"My captain."
It's an unexpected moment.
He heads into the stands.
Love and thanks for all of your love,
care, and respect.
And for loving this club and city,
you are all wonderful.
"He'll always be Kobe's captain."
"Thank you for loving Kobe."
I became a Vissel fan when he joined,
and now I play too.
I want to play my best.
He did a wonderful job.
I didn't know much about soccer.
I'm so grateful he got me
to come and watch.
I've always used a wheelchair.
I wasn't interested in a sport
I couldn't play.
Then I watched a world-class
player in the flesh.
And I fell in love with soccer.
Kobe and Iniesta.
An astonishing and unforgettable five years.
Kobe will keep cheering for him, wherever he goes.