Aged 35 years and five months the moment has come. At Ekimae Real State Stadium Fernando Torres played his last ever game in professional career, a J1-League game against Vissel Kobe with fomer Spain teammates Andrés Iniesta y David Villa on the squad. Torres announced on late June his decisión of hanging boots on August the 23, so this date will be forever the date of retirement for a football legend with 302 goals scored in 879 games, winning seven great titles.

Fernando Torres wore the two special kits designed for the farewel game, walking onto the picth with his children. He was on the starting line-up and played the full 90 minutes.

Vissel Kobe bagged the all three points of the contest with a 1-6 win. Hotaru Yamaguchi scored twice -one in each half-. He broke the deadlock in the 11th minute, Iniesta scored from the penalty spot in the 20th minute, and Junya Tanaka drilled home two minutes later. Kyogo Furuhashi scored two in the second half.

After the game Fernando enjoyed an emotional video with career highlights and a message from former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard, and had the opportunity of speaking to the Sagan Tosu faithful and all the football fans around the world.

"Starting with the president, I could understand the true passion shared by everyone at this club, that there is a dream for the future and a great plan," said Torres, who will remain an adviser with the club in southwestern Japan.

"To my teammates, from the moment I first arrived, you welcomed me with open arms. I thank you. Last year when we were under great pressure (of relegation), you remained positive. I am grateful for your efforts."

"For me the most important is my family and I have the feeling that here in Japan I have also a big family, that it is all of you. You made me feel like part of your family. I will be always in debt with you.

"I would like you to know that from today I am going to start working alongside the president and the sporting directors to make the club each day a bit better, to make you feel prouder with your club, and hopefully one day you can celebrate a championship title with your club."

"I would like to thank Japan and all Japanese people that from the very first day welcomed me with excitement and helped me. Also, to the fans of our rivals that always respected me even though I was playing for another team”.

"You have taught me a lot of things. You have reinforced fundamental values like to respect, not just the people but everything that surrounds us, so I wanted to thank you all.

"You have a beautiful country, a country that you respect like it deserves. I will come back because there are a lot of places still to visit, a lot of food to try. For me Japan always will be like a second home."

Finally the striker received flowers from his children and have a good time on the pitch with teammates and family. A great and fond endpoint for an illustrious career.

- Match stats:

Sagan Tosu: Takaoka, Kobayashi (Fukuta 46’), Park, Hideto Takahashi, Kanai; Cuenca, Yuji Takahashi (Ono 58’), Matsuoka, Yong-Woo (Kanazaki 71’); Torres, Kanamori.

Vissel Kobe: Likura, Dankler, OSaki, Vermaelen; Nishi, Ymaguchi; Samper, Iniesta (Yasui 45’), Sakai, Furuhashi (Fujimoto 74’), Tanaka (Villa 79’).

Bookings: Kanamori 49’,

Goals:

0-1 (12’) Yamaguchi.
0-2 (20’) Iniesta.
0-3 (22’) Tanaka.
0-4 (54’) Furuhashi.
0-5 (74’) Furuhashi.
1-5 (79’) Vermaelen.
1-6 (86’) Yamaguchi.