Reason why Moroccan-born FW TARIK, who played for shonan bellmare until last year, "definitely wanted to live in hiratsuka" (3ページ目)

The culture of making a proper living and valuing labour is something Tarik can relate to, and he has always preferred underdogs to powerhouses.

"In and around Shonan Bellmare, there are so many people who work hard and support this family-like club. If I had joined a big club, I don't know if I would have felt the same way. But here, everyone cares about this small local club. So I actively want to communicate with them and find out what they think and feel."

The children of Moroccan-born Tarik and his Norwegian wife attend a local kindergarten, not an international school, and speak Japanese fluently. They go to a nearby park with their whole family and actively talk to the people around them, even though they are the only foreigners in the park.

"I'm a professional footballer, but I'm just a normal person. I'm not a star and I want to be on the same page as people. I especially enjoy interacting with boys and girls, so when they come to team training I try to give them a high-five, say hello to them and make as much contact as possible. That kind of connection with local fans is an integral part of a football club."

Feeling appreciation for the sport and the people who support it, Tarik himself has been greatly helped by football. The most significant example of that occurred when he moved from Morocco to Norway at the age of just 10...