5 Aug 2004(Thu)

So, the Real Madrid circus has come and gone for another year.

Did you manage to see one of their performances?

I use the word "performance" as opposed to "match" because this is what it feels like to me.

It's an occasion, a family outing, where the spectators wait to be entertained and marvel at the skills on display.

There's no tension like at a proper match, and the score is quickly forgotten because it is meaningless.

Real began by beating JEF United Ichihara, but not before Marquinhos had stunned the "galacticos" with a Roberto Carlos-style thunderbolt, but struck with his right foot.

Raul's goal was wonderful, chipping Kushino from the edge of the box after he had stumbled. Maybe this is why the JEF defence left him alone, thinking he could not be a danger when he was on the floor.

But Raul showed his elegant skills again, and proved that, no matter how many "galacticos" Real Madrid buy, they will never find anyone better than the local boy.

From Tokyo National Stadium the sparkling white circus moved to Ajinomoto Stadium, where Verdy were waiting to play host.

In came Zidane and Ronaldo, and the goals flowed.

Zidane's was surely the best of Real's seven goals on tour.

Isn't he an amazing player! He's so tall and strong, like a rugby player, but has the balance of a ballerina and the touch of a footballing god.

The pirouette he performed to unlock the Verdy defence looked better with each replay on the big screens, and goalkeeper Takagi must have felt like a bull facing a matador and waiting to be put out of his misery.

The match ended painfully for Zidane, though, when he was fouled heavily from behind by Hayashi.

Zidane was clearly angry by the challenge, hitting out at the Verdy midfielder, and was then in distress on the touchline as the team doctor ran around from the bench. A sad end for Zidane and his army of fans.

The last few days, though, highlighted just how much football is growing in Japan.

Reds-Inter, JEF United-Real Madrid, Japan's women against Canada, Japan under-23 against Venezuela, Verdy-Real Madrid, Antlers-Barcelona...the list goes on.

On Sunday night I caught my local train out of Gotanda. There were Antlers fans here, Barcelona fans there and Real Madrid fans everywhere. It was a great sight.

Now I hope these European football fans will support the Japanese players in the J.League, and not just wait for the circus to come to town next summer.

ends