Kobe Victory officially announced on Thursday (25) that 39-year-old Spanish soccer superstar "Junior" Ennistar will end his six-year career with Nippon Professionals, and the July 1 match against Sapporo Gonzaga Hokkaido will be his farewell performance.
Ennistar has been an iconic figure for Victory, making 133 appearances, contributing 26 goals and 25 assists, winning the Emperor's Cup, the Japan Super Cup, and reaching the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League. However, he has never been able to touch the throne of the Japanese championship, but instead has been reduced from a starter to a substitute this season, with his playing time drastically reduced, but the team's performance has skyrocketed, and is currently at the top of the standings. If White hadn't chosen to leave, the team could have won his first career Japanese title at the end of the season, but he doesn't intend to sit back and enjoy the spoils.
At the press conference, White talked about his feelings about leaving the team, and was once emotional and in tears. He said: "To be honest, I thought about retiring, but things didn't turn out the way I wanted, and deep down I still want to keep running on the field. I trained as hard as I always do every day but I felt I was no longer the coach's first choice. After discussions with the club, I think it's time for me to leave. However, I will not be retiring from the game and I will continue my soccer career."
