Kazuma Kawauchi, founder of 92 Football Club (Tokyo, Japan) who's currently living in Argentina, tells us a bit about his story with football.
"For Argentine people, football is everything. Many people dedicate themselves to a Football Club that they will support for the rest of their lives. For that reason, the professional players are very well respected because of the sacrifices and the pressure that they receive to win a game."
Q. Kazu, we're aware that 92 F.C. is made up of members born from the 92 era, and that you guys have a goal in shaping Japanese football culture through creativity. Can you explain a little further on this? And how did it all begin?
A. For a long time I had been thinking that I wanted to start some projects in football alongside people who were born in 1992, because I was also born in 1992. That year was called the "Platinum Generation" in Japanese Football when I was younger, because there was lots of players which were exceptionally good. But when some of us grew up to become adults, we were not as good as expectation. Whilst I was traveling across Europe, I was inspired and came up with the idea, which was 92 F.C.
Q. What are your short term and long term missions with 92 F.C.?
A. Actually, we don't have any solid mission but we consider that as a good thing, because we are not trading as a business. But instead, we just try to enjoy what we are doing as a community. So intentionally, we don't have set missions so far, especially over the long term.
Q. Are there any other footballing projects you’re currently working on?
A. We've done a project with New Balance Football, and that will be launched at the middle of April. We're also going to do some collaboration work with GOAL Studio Japan at the end of April.
I will go back to Japan at the end of this year, so from that moment onward, I want us to try to do bigger projects than we've ever done before.
Q. Kazu, we understand that you’ve spent some time in Argentina to learn more as a coach. How do you compare football culture in South America to what you’ve experienced in Japan?
A. Yes, I'm in Argentina now, and 2 years has past already. Well, it's totally different, I even think of it as another sport haha!
For Argentine people, football is their everything. Many people dedicate themselves to a Football Club that they will support for the rest of their lives. For that reason, the professional players are very well respected because of the sacrifices and the pressure that they receive to win a game. The most important thing in Football for South Americans is to WIN.
Q. Now to the fun part! Please share a few of your favorite photos with us. No captions needed.
