Academy Report

The Brazil tour has come to its final day.
Today, the weather was good, and we had a pleasant morning. Each team completed their usual final walk and breakfast.



At the closing ceremony at the ZICO Center, Mr. Zico gave us a message: "I am happy that you participated in the tournament as Antlers players and as Japanese, and that you conducted yourselves with proper attitudes. I am watching to see you become professionals, aiming for your next goal without ending with this tournament. Please make use of the experiences from this tournament in your future lives." Finally, each player was handed a certificate of participation.After the closing ceremony, we watched the final match. The final was between Santos and Botafogo, who we had played against in the preliminary league. In the first half, a tall Santos player scored a header from a corner kick, and they defended that single goal to win the championship. Afterward, an awards ceremony was held, and Antlers Junior Youth GK Daiki Yamada received the Best GK Award. Zico's son, Thiago, presented him with a trophy and a G-SHOCK watch. Finally, Kazuya Namai handed Zico a signed jersey from all the players.In the afternoon, the Norte team played a friendly match against CFZ União at the CT ground, where the Tsukuba team had played yesterday.
As it was their last game in Brazil, they played with great enthusiasm, determined to win and return home with a victory.

Norte 2 (1-0, 1-0) 0 CFZ União
Goal scorers: 19th minute Kenta Inaba, 63rd minute Rikuto Noguchi

Members: Owada (HT Shizukuishi), Kamoshida, Inaba (HT Shibata), Otsuki, Takahashi Gaku, Oyama, Sekiguchi Hayate (HT Hosaka), Takeuchi, Noguchi, Ogawa (HT Mitsushima), Sakamoto (HT Kubota)

In the early part of the first half, both teams were cautious, observing each other. There were many simple mistakes, and neither team could gain momentum. However, in the 19th minute, Kenta Inaba scored the opening goal from Sena Oyama's free kick from the right flank, right in front of the goal. The second half also saw an even game, but our team had superior midfield organization. In the 63rd minute, Rikuto Noguchi scored a middle-range shot from 25m in the center, securing a 2-0 victory. Although it was a friendly match, Norte achieved their first win on the Brazil tour.The Tsukuba team went shopping and climbed Corcovado. Unlike yesterday, it was a perfectly clear day.


In the evening, the players from each team organized their luggage and left the hotel for a churrascaria, where they had their last meal in Brazil. It was a new experience, and the players ate a lot of meat.
Also, during their stay, Hiroki Shibata celebrated his birthday, and a birthday cake was brought out, surprising him. Just as he was about to give a speech, entertainment began, and even J-League select players joined in, making for a very lively dinner. Afterwards, they headed to the Rio airport.