Final whistle blows on 'Captain Tsubasa', as creator ends iconic football manga

A train passenger plays piano next to stained glass artwork depicting the "Captain Tsubasa" anime cartoon at Urawa-Misono train station in Saitama on July 4, 2020. The creator of Japanese cartoon football hero Captain Tsubasa announced on January 5, 2024 that he is blowing the final whistle on the beloved series after a run of 43 years. — Photo: Behrouz MEHRI / AFP

The Japanese creator of Captain Tsubasa said on Friday that he was blowing the final whistle on the beloved cartoon series after a run of 43 years.

Yoichi Takahashi began writing the comic strip about 11-year-old football prodigy Tsubasa Ozora in 1981 and it grew into a global smash hit that inspired future superstars such as Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta.