Fernando Torres talks about the unforgettable game in Japan."I remember the scene clearly." (3ページ目)

"Though Europe and South America are the epicentre of football, Asia should be next to them," Murai said. "There is a huge population and room for development in the region, with Japan and the J-League playing leading role.

"Although it's very basic, all the clubs pay wages on time to their players, the stadiums are very safe, and there has never been match fixing in the 25-year history of the league. Given the fact that the Japan national team has played in six consecutive final tournaments of the World Cup, we can also say that youth development has improved in the country as a whole. All in all, we have good fundamentals. Therefore, we would like to welcome not only top-level players but also developing youngsters from overseas -- please knock on the door!"

Torres also talked about the current position of the J-League in world football.

"Big names such as Andres (Iniesta) and David (Villa) helped to attract attention for the J-League from all over the world," he said. "I think players are aware of that and it is a good stage for their next step. And again, you can enjoy a fantastic life here in Japan. I recommend those young players who hope to transfer to Europe to come and play in the J-League for that reason."

Perhaps this is also a message to Japanese players - they should aim to play in the national team and/or European leagues beyond the J-League. Murai hopes so too.