3. Isagi Yoichi Meets Kira Ryosuke
While having dinner with his parents, Isagi’s mother handed him an envelope from the JFA (Japan Football Association), inviting him to participate in a special training program.
The next day, Isagi visited the JFA headquarters and met Kira. Kira, who remembered Isagi as a highly skilled opponent on the field, acknowledged Isagi’s exceptional spatial awareness and soccer IQ. Kira even expressed confidence that if they played on the same team, Isagi would make incredible passes. Isagi was thrilled by Kira’s praise, and they quickly became friendly.
Isagi and Kira were both stunned when they entered the JFA auditorium. There, they saw countless top young players—each one a talented striker.
4. Ego Jinpachi’s Goal Behind Creating the Blue Lock Project
Ego confidently appeared and announced that he had been tasked with leading Japan’s national team to a World Cup victory. He revealed his goal of gathering 300 strikers aged 18 to create a revolutionary striker.
Ego also introduced the Blue Lock facility—a massive building designed to accommodate 300 strikers for six months of specialized training. With fiery conviction, Ego guaranteed that the person who could surpass the other 299 players would become the world’s number one striker.
Kira and several other participants protested Ego’s idea of abandoning the national high school tournament and being barred from returning home during the Blue Lock program. Calmly, Ego permitted anyone who wished to leave to do so, as he pitied the youth of Japan for prioritizing winning the national high school tournament over becoming the world’s best striker.
Ego emphasized that the primary weakness of Japan’s national team was their constant prioritization of teamwork. According to him, soccer should focus on scoring more goals than the opponent rather than relying solely on teamwork.
Kira accused Ego of disrespecting Japan’s national team players and demanded that he retract his statement. However, Ego strengthened his argument by citing Noel Noa, the world’s number one striker and Ballon d’Or winner, who had outshone Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Noel Noa once gave a speech stating that he would rather score a hat-trick and lose 3-4 than prioritize teamwork and win 1-0. Similarly, legends like Cantona and Pele were known for prioritizing themselves over their teams.
In his speech, Ego concluded that if someone couldn’t be selfish, they could never become the best striker in the world. He asked all the participants to imagine themselves in the World Cup final, in the last minute of the second half with the score tied at 0-0. As the striker, they would face the opposing goalkeeper, with an unmarked teammate calling for a pass. But instead of passing, the striker chooses to take the shot themselves.
Ego then opened the gates to Blue Lock, allowing only the egotistical strikers to enter.
Remembering the regret he felt for not being selfish and passing to his teammate during a crucial moment, Isagi was the first to sprint toward Blue Lock. All the other participants, including Kira—driven by curiosity—followed behind him.
