New Generation World XI, Explained

Jinpachi Ego’s search for Japan’s egotist future striker, who will lead the country to a World Cup victory, has attracted some of the best talent from around the nation. While young Japanese footballers do have the drive and talent for world domination, there are players outside Japan who are just as competitive and willing to make their mark on the global stage.

PIFA, the international governing body of association football, keeps a close eye on future talents. They are sometimes even involved in nurturing the next generation and have made several efforts to ensure that deserving players get the right opportunity. PIFA has also identified footballers for the New Generation World XI. But what is it, and how does one earn a spot on the elite side?

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What is the New Generation World XI?

Talented Players Expected to Be Future World Beaters

New Generation World XI is a group of young, promising footballers who have been selected and recognized by PIFA as the future international footballing geniuses. Also referred to as the next generation of football superstars, these players are gifted with incredible natural talent and potential that set them apart from their peers. Each of these footballers has a distinctive skill or technique that is almost impossible to master for other players. Apart from being talented, the next generation of players is extremely driven and focused as well.

While it has not been officially confirmed by PIFA, so far, the footballers that have been selected in the group are all U-20 category players, which could be an indication that the selection prioritizes young talents who have the ability to become world-beaters someday. But with all their skills and uniqueness, almost every New Generation World XI player currently struggles to compete with international players who have perfected their craft through years of hard work and perseverance. The skill gap just indicates that while these PIFA-selected and recognized players are gifted, they certainly have a huge scope for improvement to be on par with the best players in the world.

Sae Itoshi, Don Lorenzo, and Michael Kaiser

While it’s unclear when PIFA started their New Generation World XI project to select and prepare future football superstars, it appears that they are yet to make a complete team. As of now, they only have three players shortlisted for the project, which suggests that it is still in its early stages of development. Currently, the New Generation World XI team consists of Re Ai’s Sae Itoshi, Ubers’ Don Lorenzo, and Bastard München’s Michael Kaiser.

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Each of the mentioned players plays a different position, which shows that, unlike Jinpachi’s Blue Lock project, PIFA’s project could be more focused on selecting a balanced side with the best footballers for every position. Sae Itoshi is a great midfielder with a ton of experience who can turn the game on its head if he plays at his best.

Meanwhile, Don Lorenzo, a.k.a. the Ace Eater, is a gifted defender. Bastard München’s Michael Kaiser is so talented that he was picked by PIFA’s president, Ray Dark, himself. These three are almost unstoppable when they are at the peak of their powers, which explains why PIFA sees them as the future football superstars.

Can Isagi Make It to New Generation World XI?

Yoichi Still Has to Work Hard on His Game

As mentioned earlier, PIFA’s New Generation World XI has only shortlisted three prodigious U-20 footballers for now. Since the group appears to only consider talented young players for selection, Isagi does have a good chance of making the cut. But how close is he?

In the U-20 match, Jinpachi Ego’s Blue Lock Eleven played a high-stakes game against Japan’s U-20 team. The match was competitive, with the last goal getting scored in extra time. Isagi was so good throughout the game that Sae Itoshi told his younger brother Rin that he is the footballer who is going to take Japanese football forward. Considering the fact that Sae grew to hate Japanese football and felt hopeless about its future for years, his change of mind so dramatically goes to show that Yoichi is a special talent.

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But Sae was not the only one mesmerized by Isagi’s talent. Japan U-20 vs. Blue Lock Eleven was televised and also brought thousands of spectators to the stadium. Yoichi’s beautiful, decisive goal captivated the audience and made him a star overnight. His skills and presence of mind earned him widespread recognition. Interestingly, Isagi could not make it to Blue Lock’s top six just before this game. It demonstrates that he has a unique talent for evolving as a player that is difficult to replicate.

In the Neo Egoist League, when Yoichi played alongside some of the best footballers in the world, he left his mark on quite a few occasions. However, it is noteworthy that players like Rin, Shido, and Baro also performed incredibly well. They scored some of the most impressive goals in the tournament and ensured that their talent received recognition.

Looking at PIFA’s New Generation World XI, it is evident that the selectors are focused on creating a balanced side, which means the team cannot have too many strikers. While it’s unclear how many forwards they are looking for, it is safe to assume that the likely formation will include at most three strikers. With Michael Kaiser already on the team, there are potentially two more positions left to fill.

Has Isagi done enough to deserve one of the two spots? Well, Yoichi did challenge Michael Kaiser himself in the Neo Egoist League. He also found ways to go around the Kaiser-Ness partnership to invent goal-scoring opportunities like the true egoist striker that Jinpachi dreams about.

But having said all this, Isagi still faces tough competition from Rin, Baro, and Shido. They are just as competitive on the field and have made their mark in the U-20 game and the Neo Egoist League. But if Isagi continues to evolve, his reputation for clutch performances can help him surpass his competitors and earn him a spot on PIFA’s New Generation World XI. Looking at his performance in the Neo Egoist League, Isagi’s inclusion in the New Generation World XI seems like a question of not if, but when.

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Blue Lock

Release Date

2022 – 2024

Directors

Tetsuaki Watanabe, Shunsuke Ishikawa

Writers

Taku Kishimoto

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