The Reason Why the Japan National Soccer Team Uniform is Blue, Which 'Surprisingly Few People Know'
The Japanese national flag is white and red. So why is the soccer national team's uniform blue?
In fact, even if you ask the Japan Football Association (JFA), the official answer is 'we don't know the formal reason.'
The roots lie in 'The University of Tokyo'
There is a leading theory.
In 1930, when Japan participated in an international tournament as a 'select team' for the first time, the majority of the members were players from Tokyo Imperial University (now The University of Tokyo).
They played in the University of Tokyo's uniform, which was light blue, and in the 1930 Far Eastern Championship, Japan drew with China and shared the championship.
By the way, the reason why the University of Tokyo used light blue was a complete coincidence, resulting from a draw in the 1920 University of Tokyo vs. Kyoto University rowing regatta.
It became established because it was 'considered lucky'
They also played in the same light blue at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. They achieved the 'Miracle of Berlin' by defeating the tournament favorite, Sweden, and advanced to the quarterfinals in their first appearance.
Having achieved historic victories in blue twice in a row, the sentiment that 'blue is lucky' became established. Since then, blue has been passed down.
Actually, there was a time when it was red
Although it is surprisingly little known, the uniform was red for only three years from 1988 to 1991.
Manager Kenzo Yokoyama changed it because 'the color of the national flag is the mainstream in the world,' but the team's performance was poor during this period. It returned to blue when the manager was replaced.
It's not that the red era is being treated as if it never happened, but it is a three-year period that is rarely talked about (laughs).
The 'blue of the sea and sky' was an afterthought
The concept promoted by the JFA, 'the blue of the sea and sky that symbolizes Japan's land,' is actually considered an explanation added later.
The nickname 'SAMURAI BLUE' also originated from the catchphrase for the 2006 Germany World Cup, and it only became the official nickname in 2009.
The 'blue' of Samurai Blue was not a color chosen by design, but one that was created through a combination of coincidence and good luck.
The next time you watch a national team match, the blue of the uniform might look a little different.
※There are various theories regarding the origin of the blue.
