It may have all been theatre but Nike’s 2002 Secret Tournament left a legacy well beyond its intended purpose as a pre-World Cup advert
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In the summer of 2002, Asian football was thrust into the global spotlight thanks to a highly successful World Cup in Japan and South Korea. The entire planet sat back and revelled in…
In 1991, Japanese football was at its lowest point. Their top flight was played by amateurs and the football association knew something needed to be done. The birth of the J League soon…
Illustration by Federico Manasse Before the summer of 2002, Asia was largely forgotten by the footballing world. A general awareness existed among top-level clubs that the continent offered large swathes of untapped…
EACH PREMIER LEAGUE season provides a stark reminder of the global reach of the English game and its continual ability to extend into previously untapped areas of the plane, in search of…