Iniesta, who has made his mark in the J-League with Kobe Victory, expressed his personal opinion for the first time on the outcome of the grouping of Japan and Spain in the same group as he participated in an event for a famous brand in the city of Osaka on April 7, Beijing time.
As the core midfielder of the Spanish national team, Iniesta helped the team win the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, a remarkable achievement. Facing the situation of Japan and Spain in the same group, Iniesta confessed with a bitter smile: "It is not easy to predict [the match between Japan and Spain], of course I support Spain, but I also hope that both teams can succeed in advancing."
A reporter curiously asked Iniesta, "How can Japan beat Spain?" Iniesta replied wryly, "The World Cup is a world of unknowns, and I think it will be an interesting match. And, I think the confrontation with Germany will be the key to getting out of the group, it's a very difficult opponent and both Japan and Spain will have to give it their all."
Prior to that, Japan's head coach, Mori Boichi, had publicly stated that he would ask Iniesta for advice on how to beat Spain.
