Flamengo icon Zico reassures fans after earthquake in Japan | OneFootball

7.1-magnitude earthquake killed 13 and injured 60 others in southern Japan

Flamengo’s greatest idol in history was in Japan when an earthquake struck on Tuesday (28) in the south of the country. However, Zico shared a video to say that he is fine, despite the scare that killed 13 people and injured 60 in the city of Kashima.

– I’m stopping by to bring a little peace of mind to everyone. I’d like to thank you for your concern. Unfortunately, there was a major earthquake here in Japan. The city is also called Kashima, but it is in the southern part of the country –, said the Rooster from Quintino, who added:

– Japan is made up of many islands; this one is in Kyushu, in Kumamoto Prefecture. I am in Hokkaido Prefecture, in the north, very far away. We deeply regret everything that happened and the people affected. Given the structure Japan has to deal with this, everything will soon be restored. We are doing very well, calm and without worries –, he said.

Are there two cities called Kashima?

Zico became an idol at Kashima Antlers (JPN) in the 1990s. However, the team Arthur Antunes Coimbra works with has nothing to do with the city of Kashima, which is in the south of the Asian country. The former athlete, though, was in the north, in Hokkaido.

What damage did the earthquake cause in Japan?

The quake measured 7.1 and caused 13 deaths, 60 injuries, and seven missing people in Kumamoto Prefecture, where Kashima is located, in the south of the country. Among the structures affected, the Aeon Mall shopping center was destroyed, houses were demolished, and some historic sites collapsed.

Why is Zico in Japan?

After winning everything of greatest importance with Flamengo between 1970 and 1990, the former athlete accepted the challenge of playing in Japan. In this way, the idol helped popularize football through his performances for Kashima Antlers.

After hanging up his boots, the Rooster from Quintino coached the same team and also managed the Japanese National Team. As a result, the Japanese built a statue in honor of Zico at the entrance to Kashima Soccer Stadium.

So, to this day, the former athlete still has ties to the Kashima team, but also works at Flamengo. Therefore, the red-and-black idol splits his attention between Brazil and Japan at 73 years old.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.