The creator of Tsubasa just drew Lamine Yamal in pencil, right in Barcelona. Yoichi Takahashi, creator of Captain Tsubasa (published in Vietnam by Kim Dong as Tsubasa - Giấc mơ sân cỏ), visited Camp Nou on October 5, 2026, swapped jerseys with Barça and left behind a drawing of the club’s most prominent young player in true manga style.
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Visit date | October 5, 2026 |
| Host | Joan Soler, FC Barcelona vice president for commercial affairs |
| Gifts | Nankatsu team jersey (from Takahashi), Barça jersey printed “Takahashi 10” (from the club) |
| Drawing | Lamine Yamal in manga style |
| Barça’s video | Over 2.5 million views on X (October 6) |
A day at Camp Nou
According to FC Barcelona’s official site, Takahashi was received by commercial vice president Joan Soler, then toured the club museum and Spotify Camp Nou. Takahashi gave Barça the white jersey of Nankatsu, Tsubasa’s home team in the story, signed and decorated with a hand-drawn illustration. In return, the club presented Takahashi with a Barça jersey printed with the name “Takahashi” and the number 10.
Lamine Yamal, manga edition
The highlight of the visit was the drawing of Lamine Yamal. On October 6, Barça’s Spanish-language X account posted a 46-second video of Takahashi drawing: “Yoichi Takahashi, creator of Captain Tsubasa, has drawn Lamine Yamal in the creator’s signature manga style”. In the video, Takahashi sketches in pencil with printed photos of Yamal alongside for reference. When OtaHub checked, the video had about 2.5 million views.
Tsubasa and Barça: a long connection
This is not the first time Tsubasa’s creator has been linked to Barça. In 2015, when the club played the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan, Takahashi drew five players, Messi, Neymar, Suárez, Iniesta and Piqué, and in early 2016 Takahashi was invited to Camp Nou to watch a match. According to FC Barcelona, the story features a main character who later represents a Catalan club inspired by Barça.
Tsubasa’s influence on real football is also considerable. According to Al Jazeera, names such as Andrés Iniesta, Fernando Torres, David Villa and Lukas Podolski have all said their love of football began with this series. Fernando Torres said: “I started playing football because of this show… I wanted to become Oliver”, the name Tsubasa goes by in many countries’ releases.
Where is the Captain Tsubasa manga now?
Takahashi announced the end of serialization in 2024, when Captain Tsubasa Magazine published its final issue in April. The next part, Captain Tsubasa: Rising Sun FINALS, moved to storyboard form on the Captain Tsubasa World site from July 2024. According to Anime News Network, the series has been on break since May 2026 after chapter 100 and was announced to resume on October 6, every Tuesday.
In Vietnam, Captain Tsubasa is published by Kim Dong Publishing House as Tsubasa - Giấc mơ sân cỏ, a childhood favorite of many generations of readers.
OtaHub’s take
The Lamine Yamal drawing is a meeting of two generations: a series that inspired many Spanish stars in the 2000s, and a young player who represents Barça’s new generation. For Vietnamese fans who grew up with “Giấc mơ sân cỏ”, the image of the creator holding a number 10 jersey at Camp Nou is also a memorable moment. The next thing to watch is whether Barça or Takahashi will release the finished drawing.
FAQ
What did the Captain Tsubasa creator do in Barcelona?
On October 5, 2026, Yoichi Takahashi visited FC Barcelona, met commercial vice president Joan Soler, toured the club museum and Camp Nou, swapped jerseys with the club, and drew Lamine Yamal in manga style.
What is Captain Tsubasa’s connection to Barcelona?
According to FC Barcelona, the story features a main character who later represents a Catalan club inspired by Barça. In 2015, Takahashi also drew Messi, Neymar, Suárez, Iniesta and Piqué when Barça played the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.
Is the Captain Tsubasa manga still running?
According to Anime News Network, Captain Tsubasa: Rising Sun FINALS has been on break since May 2026 after chapter 100 and was announced to resume on October 6, every Tuesday, as storyboard versions on the Captain Tsubasa World site.
Is there a Vietnamese edition of Captain Tsubasa?
Yes. The series is published by Kim Dong Publishing House under the title Tsubasa - Giấc mơ sân cỏ.
Sources: FC Barcelona (official site, X), Anime News Network, Al Jazeera, SoraNews24, Cooperativa, Japan Foundation Hanoi.
