World Soccer

Vissel Kobe end 20-year wait

Vissel Kobe won their first-ever J. League championship with a game to spare, eventually finishing seven points clear of defending champions Yokohama F. Marinos. It was only Kobe’s second major silverware, following the 2019 Emperor’s Cup, and made them the 11th different team to win the league.

The victory held special satisfaction for the Kobe fans and their owner Hiroshi Mikitani. In the Rakuten CEO’s 20-year tenure, the club had never come close to winning the title, despite a number of high-profile signings including Lukas Podolski, David Villa and Andres Iniesta funded by significant investment.

Kobe manager Takayuki Yoshida, who abandoned last season’s high-possession football in favour of a more direct

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