The Japanese Miracle: Stories of Soccer, Culture, and Rebirth

Born in 1972, Silvio Crisari lived a passion for neighborhood futsal, a game of instinct and raw talent played on dusty fields. A series of injuries ended his career as a goalkeeper, but his passion was too big to be contained. He embarked on a journey of education and coaching, earning his Soccer Professional UEFA A license and Futsal Pro license and traveling the world to perfect his methodology. In 2014, a call from Japan changed everything: a sports academy wanted him to lead a unique project. His mission: to select 16 boys from difficult backgrounds and, in just one month, turn them into a team ready to compete against a well-established rival. This book is the story of that month: a deep dive into Japanese culture, a clash of mentalities, and a journey into the heart of sport as a tool for personal growth. From the sacredness of Mount Fuji to the relentless pursuit of "ganbaru" and "kaizen," the author recounts how he learned to navigate a world governed by silence, respect, and discipline. Through daily routines, lessons in Italian, and intense training sessions that blended futsal and soccer, the boys learned to overcome their fears and find confidence. The culmination of their journey arrives in a decisive match, where the final score proves to be the least important part of the game. A powerful testament to the fact that the true miracle of sport is not victory, but the transformation that happens within us. About the author Silvio Crisari is a professional futsal and soccer coach with a career spanning over twenty years at an international level. Born in Rome in 1972, he began his sports journey as a goalkeeper, but multiple injuries led him to dedicate himself to coaching, where he obtained all futsal coaching licenses and earned three licenses to become a professional UEFA A soccer coach. He holds a bachelor's degree in Psychoeconomics, a master's degree in Sport and Business Management, and a master's degree in Kinesiology. Among the representative steps in his career, he led the youth teams of AS Roma soccer and the Under 17 futsal team of the Lazio Region, with which he won two consecutive championships. He then took on the role of Head Coach for the Norwegian Futsal National Team, winning the Nordic Cup, and concurrently served as an assistant coach for the Norwegian Under 18 and 19 national youth soccer teams. His experience was expanded through collaborations in academies and universities in China, Japan, and the United States. Since 2024, he has held the position of Head Coach for the Chinese Futsal National Team. His philosophy is based on a hybrid methodology, which combines the speed of thought from futsal with the tactics of soccer, with the goal of forming not only better athletes but complete individuals. The book "The Japanese Miracle" tells one of the experiences that most marked his journey, demonstrating how sport can become a springboard for personal growth and self-discovery.