“think the hierarchy of Asian football has changed so much. People see Japan as one of Asia’s strongest, if not the strongest, football nation. Just looked at the Iraqi victory against Japan. With no disrespect, the Iraqis fought well, beat one of the AFC Asian Cup’s favourites, and celebrated like they had won the Cup. It was a massive victory for the Iraqis”
“I have been following football worldwide and am used to seeing teams with massive supporters. But when I came to this 3-time Indian Super League runner-up (since 2014), especially after having experienced the match at the stadium in person and witnessing how everyone cheered and sang for the team, I was impressed with the football passion in the city, considering the team is not a renowned international team yet. After my last visit, they have gained a new supporter in me”
“Japan missed the 1994 World Cup in the United States with just seconds remaining. And for the 1998 World Cup in France, Japan won the playoffs with a golden goal. It was because of these two ‘hells’ (Doha-1993, where the Japanese cried) and ‘heaven’ (Johor Bahru-1997, where we got our revenge and cried tears of joy) that Japanese football improved drastically.
Southeast Asian countries will also soon experience their own ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ as Southeast Asia will play one of the most exciting, if not the most exciting, World Cup Qualifiers in the World Cup”
“The Hand of God is an ethical and sustainable fashion brand with a football theme designed and hand-printed in Barcelona. It is run by Sebastian and Gemma, a passionate couple with a love for football poetry and Maradona. We had the pleasure of talking with them, and they gave us a better understanding of the brand”
