Flamengo icon Zico reassures fans after earthquake in Japan | OneFootball

7.1-magnitude earthquake killed 13 and injured another 60 people 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 released a video to say that he is fine, despite the scare that left 13 people dead and 60 injured in the city of Kashima.

– I’m stopping by to give everyone a little peace of mind. 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 on the southern side of the country –, said the “Rooster of 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 Japan’s infrastructure to deal with this, everything will soon be restored. We are 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 where Arthur Antunes Coimbra works has nothing to do with the city of Kashima, which is in the south of the Asian country. The former athlete, however, 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 major importance with Flamengo between 1970 and 1990, the former athlete accepted the challenge of playing in Japan. In this way, the idol helped popularize soccer through his performances for Kashima Antlers.

After hanging up his boots, the “Rooster of 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 he also works at Flamengo. Therefore, the red-and-black idol splits his attention between Brazil and Japan at the age of 73.

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