In the past Japan was the place where retired italian soccer player went for money and italian football fans laught about it. But now, Qatar and China are the most wanted (and profitable) places (see Lippi, Gattuso, Cannavaro and even Barrios, Drogba etc).
Many Italian players liked their stay in Japan (Tohoku region) during 2002 WC. And... del Piero is very pro-Japanese Haven't you seen him in Tiger Mask? Also J League has everything he'd need to play for a few more years: pretty high level of competition on the pitch, not that bad salary (I doubt that means too much for him right now), huge attention, many fans on the stands. Also he wouldn't say stupid stuff like Drogba about liking China after the transfer. If Drogba is so fond of China than he should play there for free
http://www.j-league.or.jp/release/000/00004585.html Del Piero participating at the charity match is now official. http://delpieroale.blogspot.jp/2012/07/blog-post_16.html Del Piero himself comfirming on the Japanese blog of his official site.
Coolest scene: coach Teguramori giving defensive instructions to Konno during a break of the play. So much needed... Not an incredible attendance...Kashima is never the most vibrant of the audiences. They should have played this in Sendai.
OK, it was great to see DelPiero score and it was a pretty good shot too. But even so . . . . Does anyone else see Sugeno's body instinctively reacting to the shot, and his mind saying "No wait - this is DelPiero. I cant block the shot and disappoint all these fans!" While this one is a bit harder to tell, the play in the final minute had everyone at my house rolling on the floor laughing (well, only six of us but......) Everyone worked so hard to set Gon up for a wide-open shot at the edge of the six-yard box, and four defenders all froze, three steps away from him, so he could take the shot. And what does he do? Well, Gon-sama, I guess it really is time to hang up the boots now
haha yeah, I thought the same. It's a charity match after all, it was obvious that Del Piero had to score.