My first selection

The first memories I have of the Spanish team are not on television, radio or in the field, let alone the Internet, and then barely knew what a computer was. My first memories of the Spanish team are in posters and magazines for one reason or another came into my hands, I decided to save posters and if I search for consciousness appear somewhere safe. I remember especially one that, rather than a poster, was a calendar with all the World Cup Italia 90 surrounded by photos of the members of the selection of Luis Suarez from Michel to Zubizarreta through Rafa Paz, Fernando or Quique Sanchez Flores . Yes, go you know why I remember Rafa Paz, Seville footballer that much football boots and little hair on the roof. Did not even see too that World Cup was a kid and I have only isolated memories of some goal or some Schillaci Goycoechea stop. But that poster I remember clearly.

What's more, small posters that I remember came with the TV guide. I always was when he played the selection, and I remember Sanchis, Bakero, Roberto ... even my hands on a poster oldest saved perhaps some magazine, and I remember seeing it Butragueño, Gallego and Victor Muñoz. I imagine it would be the World Cup in Mexico 86. Not even watched the games, but those posters, and then took my old worn leather ball so many adventures and I asked Victor Munoz Butragueño or without even knowing how they played, where or why. Years later came the U.S. World and then I did see the matches of the Caminero, Goikoetxea or Julen Guerrero. But that was not my first choice, neither Clement nor that of Luis Suarez, or any other with the red shirt of Spain. My first choice was the Japanese, and their stars were Oliver and Mark Lenders Atom.

Yes, was the first team I saw play regularly. It was only a youth team, but for me it was invincible, the world's best. I had seen every game of the New Team, indeed obliged, as I was before and after the Toho Muppet, but they just relayed some games while the New Team gave all. You could choose then and now. Anyway parties saw Oliver and company with great enthusiasm, first with Tom Baker and then without him, sometimes with Benji when I respected that ankle weaker than the same Robben, and those great side: Alan Crockett, Ted Carter Johnny Mason, Bob Denver and my favorite of them: Paul Diamond, a midfielder with a prime game viewing. And I have not forgotten him: Bruce Harper, of course.

His rivals were each more fearsome: Philip Callahan and his disciplined team Flynet; twins Derrick's Hot Dog (yes, the hot dog) and incredible acrobatics where the infernal catapult had a prominent place the giant Clifford and Sandy Yuma Winters in Hirado, so similar to the long pass from Stoichkov and Koeman to Raul Iron, Ralph Peterson Tatsunami, a defender so hard that left Pepe at the height of the Cinderella goalkeeper Matt Sellers, the Namiwa, with characteristics somewhat peculiar, Patrick Everett Otomo and his shot of the hawk, the team also playing Jack Norris, who left New Team pulled to the very traitor, and of course, Julian Ross, Mambo, with their class, even higher than in a principle to that of Oliver, but with her heart problems. Every game was more challenging than the last and became a real battle in which the players left everything on the field.

But as I said before: I was first Muppet and Toho after, and my idols were Mark Lenders and Ed Warner: that shot the tiger Lenders, the feline agility Warner even helping the club to gain momentum if it was necessary. I still remember the day I tried something similar. With them playing a classy midfielder, Dani Melow Iniesta. But had no luck ever against Oliver in the finals, and always asked, "Dad, why are the Muppet" but it was a great feeling.

When the season appeared then that kind of sunglasses and long hair that brought together all the youth team to Japan. Yes, exactly: all those cracks were to play together as a team! That feeling was indescribable, and was the first time I really aware of what was the team football. Warner stops, the aggressiveness of Peterson and his shot of the knife, and Clifford Yuma "or pass the ball or the player passes", tenacity and perseverance of Bruce, the accuracy and reliability of Xabi Alonso Callahan, class of Julian Ross and Tom Baker, the firing of Everett, the acrobatics of the twins Derrick ... and they two, Lenders Mark and Oliver together for the cause, the two cracks in Japan together as a team. Shortly after Terry also joined Denton, a kid who decided to try his luck in Italy and he was not too bad this was the ball.

Would not have it easy in its international expansion: the Argentine Juan Diaz and Pascal, Uruguayan Victorino, the French Pierre LeBlanc and Rui Napoleon and, especially, the Brazilian Santana and the German Karl Heinz Schneider, Kaiser, try to stand in the road. But Japan was to me invincible: Warner played mostly because Benji was either injured or in Germany. Peterson the right side, Bruce left, central Yuma Julian Ross, happily recovered from his illness, which was adapted to the free position to lead and organize the team from behind. Callahan was the midfield with Tom Baker on his right and one of the Derrick, can not remember if Jason or James, to your left. Not fit all. Oliver was the playmaker, he started as a striker, but he ignored his mentor, Roberto, and delayed his position to be the leader. The lead was up to Everett and Lenders, the killer. A great team.

It was not easy the way to the end, as it was not easy to defeat Schneider's Germany, but as I expected, Japan's world champions after winning 3-2. It was my first title. Then scattered: Oliver first to Brazil and then to Barcelona, ​​Lenders to Juventus, Hamburg and Tom Benji to France, but was the least: would meet again to wear the team jersey, again to form one great team. Then I lost track. Then came the play and the Pro and did not hesitate to look for the Japanese team, but he knew nothing: out about such Nakata, Inamoto and who knows who else. That was not the Japanese team that I knew, so it took me a moment to fix the mess and so edit the entire youth team in Japan. Maybe I spent a bit with the scores, but I've said to me they were invincible.

I do not know what became of them. Lenders do not know how many goals put in Delle Alpi or Oliver earned a place in the Nou Camp and managed to be the best player in the world as dreamed. Maybe back to Japan to live there the last years of football, and may repeat world title as a team in professional football. It is the same: all wanted to be Oliver, Mark Lenders or Tom Baker and lift the World Cup, and the truth is that Japan's youth team and those players are all not recede ever.