FC Tokyo U-18 is conducting a tour to Spain and Portugal from Apr 3 (Mon) to Apr 12 (Wed). Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be the academy's first overseas tour in about four years.

On the first day of the expedition, April 3rd (Monday), we departed from Narita International Airport and arrived at Istanbul Airport in Turkey after approximately 12 hours. After that, we traveled for four and a half hours to Madrid-Barajas Airport in Spain.

 

After that, we took a taxi from the airport to a hotel in downtown Madrid, which is about a 5-minute distance, and we arrived at around 23:00 local time on the 3rd (Monday). The players rested in their rooms to prepare for the next day's travel, and the first day came to an end.

※Player photo just before arrival at Madrid Barajas Airport

On the second day of the expedition, on the 4th (Tuesday), we checked out of the hotel early in the morning and took a flight from Madrid-Barajas Airport to Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon, Portugal, which took about 1 hour and 20 minutes. From the airport, we took a bus to the hotel where we would be staying during our time in Lisbon. The travel time was about 30 minutes, but we enjoyed the scenery of Lisbon while traveling.

 

In the afternoon, we borrowed the local club's ground, which is within walking distance from the hotel, and conducted training. Due to the long-distance travel, the players focused on their training while checking their own condition in preparation for the match on the third day of the expedition.

Continuing from the third day of the expedition, we will not only focus on soccer but also experience travel, local climate, food, culture, and interactions with many people, leading to our growth.