On November 11th (Monday), Akihisa Shoguchi will be the host of “Kedash 2nd Presents Shining Future Athletes Asuyan! ~ Full support for young athletes ~” (Nippon Broadcasting System, every Monday from 21:00 to 21:30).
The guest is Moe Sakurai (moe-K).
Born in Hokkaido in 2002. I started playing freestyle football when I was in the second year of junior high school. He meets Hiro-K, who has become a world champion, and becomes his disciple. Although she had no particular athletic experience, she started attending school and improved her skills, and since then she has achieved brilliant results, including winning the Japan Freestyle Football Championship 2023 women’s division, winning the women’s division of the Pulse Series Asian Qualifiers, and becoming the Asian champion. Currently, he has moved to Tokyo and is doing his best to participate in competitions both domestically and internationally while promoting the sport.
Furthermore, Hiroyuki Kaneko (Hiro-K) will also appear.
Born in Ehime Prefecture in 1990. He started playing soccer at the age of 5, and when he discovered freestyle football in middle school, he became the Japanese champion in 2014, won the Foot Style Cup held in France in 2017, and became the best in the world. He is Sakurai’s mentor, and he is currently teaching and promoting his techniques by teaching them to children all over the country.
Shoguchi: Mr. Sakurai, you brought a ball today, but does that mean it’s a ball specifically for freestyle football?
Sakurai: Yes. The size is a size 5 ball, so it is the same size as a soccer ball.
Kaneko: I’d like you to touch this. The surface is much less slippery.
Shoguchi: It’s bumpy, that’s for sure. It has small dimples.
Kaneko: The model Sakurai is using has bumps that create friction and make it easier to perform techniques.
Shoguchi: Does the style differ depending on the person?
Kaneko: That’s right. Since the technique is completely different depending on the person, the ball that suits each person is different. By the way, mine doesn’t have any anti-slip properties, and I use a ball that looks almost exactly like a soccer ball.
Shoguchi: What kind of technique is it? Are there any movements that soccer players can’t do?
Sakurai: Oh, there are so many. I think that’s why there are so many dance elements in freestyle football.
Shoguchi: Is there a point deduction if the ball hits the floor?
Sakurai: There are some players who do dribbling in soccer, but that’s not the case. Basically, you shouldn’t use your hands.
Kaneko: Ever since I met Sakurai, I’ve thought that this is her weapon, and I think she’s very soft-spoken and approachable. The skill of freestyle football comes from that person. Her flexibility is unique, and she is able to perform techniques that everyone else takes for granted in a way that makes them look even more flexible and cool.
Shoguchi: Sakurai, when do you feel the most fulfilled while playing freestyle football?
Sakurai: I often connect with players from overseas, and the moments when I meet those players, or when I get to meet players in person that I only knew through SNS, I feel like I’m glad I did it.
Shoguchi: We can’t lose to anyone here! What do you think?
Sakurai: (Thinking a little) Maybe it’s kind.
Shoguchi: Maybe it’s because it’s hard for me to call myself kind. Your personality really shines through. And I hear there’s going to be a big tournament soon?
Sakurai: I will be in Italy from November 13th.
Kaneko: It’s a world tournament called World Freestyle Football Championship 2024.
Sakurai: I participated in this tournament last year and lost in the first round, but I gained more than that. I hope I can turn what I gained last year into energy in Italy this year.
