Every real-life footballer mentioned in Blue Lock

Authored by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura, Blue Lock has captivated viewers with its unique take on sports and soccer. Most sports-oriented series tend to take things to a more fictional level. But that is not the case with Kaneshiro's work, as he alludes to real-life soccer sensations and uses them to fantastic effect.

The series is set following Japan's elimination from the 2018 World Cup. Distraught at the loss, the Japanese Football Federation hired Ego Jinpachi to bring about a change. Ego's goal was to create an egotistical striker who would be the world's best.

To do that, he put forth Blue Lock - A concept where 300 high school soccer talents would train and be tested at his facility to produce the best striker of the lot. The remaining 299 would be barred from representing Japan ever again.

Blue Lock makes references to a couple of real-life football stars. This is done to help explain to the audience what Ego was looking for in a striker. It eliminates the need for pages of long-winded exposition to depict this archetype's nature visually.

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Every real-life footballer mentioned in Blue Lock

1) Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (Image via Pinterest)

One of the greatest players of all time is Cristiano Ronaldo. Jumping, speed, dribbling, technical ability, shooting, heading, he has it all. At the beginning of Blue Lock, Ego used his example to explain what a perfect striker needs to be.

Japanese football needed a complete restructure, and at the center would be a skilled, egotistical striker who would strive to score the most goals and wreck the opposition.

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2) Lionel Andrés Messi

Lionel Andrés Messi (Image via Pinterest)

Tipped as the one to carry on Diego Maradona's legacy and the heartbeat of the Argentina national team, Lionel Messi stands among the topmost footballers. For Blue Lock, Ego mentioned him among the list of top forwards in the world.

He wanted a striker to emerge from his trials, focusing solely on scoring and around whom the team would be based.

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3) Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (Image via Pinterest)

Neymar was the third player on the list of the best forwards in Blue Lock. The Brazilian magician dazzled with his skills and technical ability and was the world's most expensive transfer at one point.

Ego stressed that strikers had several "weapons" at their disposal. They needed to carefully reflect on it, pick their choice of attack and decimate the opposition with mastery.

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4) Eric Cantona

Eric Cantona (Image via Studio Eight Bit)

While explaining the meaning of an egotistical striker, Blue Lock's Ego brought up words from Eric Cantona. As seen in the anime, he seemed to care only about himself. He wanted to perform well in a bid to stand out.

This was the kind of attitude that Ego wanted in a striker, someone who would do whatever it took to score goals and become the best.

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5) Edson Arantes do Nascimento aka Pelé

Edson Arantes do Nascimento aka Pelé (Image via Studio Eight Bit)

Another star to be featured on Blue Lock was Pelé. The legendary Brazilian has been continuously hailed as one of the best in the world. During his days, he was untouchable and wholly changed how Brazil played, being the driving force behind many of its successes.

Ego wanted to create a striker that would leave the world in awe. Someone so tremendous and self-centered that they would prevail over every other player and assert themselves as the best.

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Final Thoughts

Blue Lock has taken the anime world by storm. Following the conclusion of Haikyuu!, Kaneshiro's masterpiece seems to be the next big thing in the sports genre, and with good reason. As mentioned, other sports series go for a more fantasy and fictional take on the sport.

But this one draws parallels to real-life and uses them brilliantly. Even someone who does not understand soccer can make sense of what's going on and grasp the game's concept. It truly is a work of art and continues to keep audiences on the edge of their seat.