Vissel Kobe secured their maiden J-League title, marking a historic achievement just a half-year after the departure of Spanish and Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta. The team's performance notably improved under the guidance of coach Takayuki Yoshida, who made the strategic decision to exclude Iniesta from the squad after the latter joined Emirates Club in the UAE Pro League in August.
The championship-clinching moment came with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Nagoya Grampus.
Captain Hotaru Yamaguchi expressed unprecedented joy, revealing, "I've never felt this much joy before. The tears began to flow about five minutes before the final whistle. I'm overjoyed."
In a pivotal match at the Noevir Stadium, Kobe established an insurmountable four-point lead over the second-placed Yokohama F Marinos. Goals from Haruya Ide and former Newcastle striker Yoshinori Muto sealed the triumph for Kobe.
Adding to the team's success story, Juan Mata, a former midfielder for Manchester United who joined Kobe from Galatasaray in September, played a role as an unused substitute in the historic victory. The culmination of this remarkable season reflects Vissel Kobe's resilience and determination to achieve greatness in the J-League.