The FIFA World Cup is moving forward this month, and the tournament has been wild so far. A share of upsets have gripped fans across the globe, and despite a recent loss, Japan has become a standout from the cup. The team managed to knock down some major players, and now, we have learned One Piece helped bring those victories to life.
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The news comes from Japan Today as the publication posted a feature about the FIFA World Cup. Of course, Team Japan was discussed at length, and it was there fans were informed the group’s coach used One Piece to inspire players.
One Piece FTW
In fact, the national team’s coach Hajime Moriyasu amped up the team with One Piece: Red the night before it won against Germany. The upset win went on to make headlines, so of course, the team decided to repeat history. Before taking on Spain’s national team, the team binged One Piece: Stampede, and Luffy pushed the players to take another victory.
“Boa Hancock is my favorite character”, Ritsu Doan, one of Japan’s pro players shared. “I loved the scene where she fought against Bullet – it really inspired my play today!”
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Unfortunately, One Piece could not get the team through the entire event. Today, Croatia tied with Japan but ended up taking home the win on penalty kicks. This match marked the third time Japan and Croatia has faced in a World Cup. The first ended in a win for Croatia while the second left the team similarly tied.
What do you make of this One Piece update? Which anime series do you binge when you need hyping up? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.